Catching Flies with a metal spoon
by shadowrunning
Summary: Abstract concept expanding on the main theme of Eragon.
1. The Market

The Wooden Door Chapter 1: The market

Fenna's long black hair clung to her wet forehead as she plucked the small weeds from the tomato patch. They were prickly, and after a long day of working her callused hands bled. It was almost time for supper. But there was no way she was allowed to stop until the master called them in.

"Alright, you worthless scum, it's time to eat!" Came a sharp voice from the house. Food! Eagerly, she ran in towards the door, stopping in front. Her kind weren't allowed to enter the house.

"So, Fenna, did you have fun picking the cacti out of the tomatoes?" Chuckled a voice behind her. She turned around, glowering at Kilek, another slave. He had dark, almond shaped eyes and scraggly black hair that fell in front of his face.

"Don't worry, you'll get to do it next week." She replied, smiling at the thought of Kilek doing the second worst job on the farm. The worst was left to the older slaves, which was fertilizing the fields. You had to haul the heavy wheelbarrow out alone, and scoop the manure with a shovel and spread it evenly among the plants. The stench was nearly unbearable, even at a distance.

Mr. Darga came out with a small pot of boiled oatmeal. Thrusting it at Fenna, he turned around and shut the door. Eagerly, the slaves plunged their hands into it, eating as fast as they could. All together there were six of them.

Sarah, the oldest, had scraggly blonde hair and was well into her thirties. Then there came Takim, a quiet fellow in his twenty-sixth year, who's back was badly scarred from flogging. He was the newest, being bought a few months ago by the family. Then came Rafael and Will. They were both nineteen and usually did the hard labor around the farm. They were brothers, both tall and lean, with short brown hair. Then Kilek and Fenna were the youngest, both at 15.

Fenna was shoved aside by Kilek, who took her place in front of the pot.

"Hey! I want some too!" She shrieked, trying to push him away. But the wall of backs blocking the oatmeal was too strong for her to push away. How she hated Kilek. So arrogant, so annoying. She stood up and grabbed a handful of slop from the middle, running away to eat it by herself. This feeding frenzy reminded her of hungry wolves at a carcass. Snarling, vicious, and greedy. But who wouldn't be, with aching muscles and empty stomachs?

Fenna went into the barn, stroking the horse. He had no name, was just "horse". All day long he would pull the plow with Takim, working silently. When the planting times were over, he would carry Mr. Darga to and from the market. When there was no market, he would haul baskets of crops into the shed to be stored or eaten. Besides him, there was one milking goat and used to be some chickens, but they were all sold to help pay for the taxes this season. Fenna held out the rest of her oatmeal to horse, who lipped it up eagerly. He got only dried grass, and she felt a bit sorry for him.

Her stomach growled still, so she went back outside to see if she could grab some more oatmeal. Sarah and Takim was nowhere to be seen, but the brothers and Kilek were still stuffing their faces. She reached out to get some, but just as she did the house door opened and Mr. Darga came out, snatching the bowl.

"All right all right!" He growled. "Dinner's over now, get back to work. Anyone who's finished can help the girl in the tomato patch!" With that he slammed the old wooden door. Great! Now at least she could get some help with that wretched job. As she walked out towards the tomatoes, Kilek jumped up behind her.

"Boo!"

She jumped as he yelled in her ear, sending him laughing as he ran out to the wheat field. She picked up a rock and threw it at him, hitting him square in the head.

As he whirled around, she ran into the safe cover of the tomatoes. She could hear him running back.

"I'll teach you to throw rocks at me!" He snapped. She ducked under a stalk and crept to where she was working before. Kilek caught sight of her and ran over, but tripped and fell, crushing a tomato vine and the piece of wood supporting it.

"Look what you've done, idiot!" She cried, helping him up. A flicker of fear ran through her as she saw the broken fruits on the ground, still green.

"Mr. Darga is going to kill us!" Exclaimed Kilek, trying to get the juice off his dirty clothes.

"Kill _you_. I didn't do anything!" Fenna said, burying the crushed tomatoes and picking up the stalk. "If he sees this, he'll-

"I'll WHAT!" Roared the oh too familiar voice. The heavyset man stomped down the row to see the mess they had made. His face flooded with purple as he pulled out his whip.

"Sir-It was an accident!" Pleaded Kilek. For clothes, slaves wore dirty rags that they kept until they outgrew them.

"You ruined a good plant! This will cost you dearly, you useless urchins!" Right in front of Fenna, he lashed Kilek across the ankles. When the boy was sent toppling to the ground, he lashed Fenna and then gave them both a heavy whipping until he was satisfied.

"Yes sir.." They said, trying their best not to whimper.

As he walked away, Kilek let out a soft moan. He rolled over and clutched his side, which was bleeding. Fenna fought back tears as she grabbed her feet.

There were deep cuts on each of them, and dark bruises on her shins. Fiery pain was shooting up her legs. The two said nothing as they dragged themselves to their feet. Kilek's shirt was ripped open and there was a long cut along his hip. There were streaks of blood running down both of their shins.

"We're not children…" Said Fenna with a disgruntled look on her face.

"I guess I could help you, I was almost finished watering the wheat field anyways. Takim can take care of it." He said, avoiding her eyes. Late summer harvest was not too far away.

Great! She had to work with the klutz.

Grumbling, she picked up her hoe and set off down the aisle of tomato plants. Kilek muttered something about being ungrateful and set to work on the opposite side. His ripped shirt exposed quite a bit of his torso.

When it was too dark to see, all of the slaves came into the barn to sleep. Sarah lit a candle and went over to her corner, wrapping herself in blankets. The rest of them followed suit, going to their usual places, in piles of straw. Fenna went to her empty stall beside horse. As she closed her eyes, something inside her felt strange. She felt just a small guilt for Kilek, who was whipped one more time than her. Oh well, she thought. He'll be better in the morning.

In the morning they were awoken by Mrs. Darga, who ushered them outside with sharp threats.

It was freezing outside, and Fenna's filthy tunic was barely keeping her warm. Soon the sun would be high enough to warm the land up, and she would go down to the stream to bathe. As she walked towards the tomato patch she caught a glimpse of Kilek-he was walking slowly, seemed to be favoring his left side. She walked on without a second thought.

By midday it was nice and warm. The slaves were cutting grass and weeding the remaining fields.

Soon, Fenna was able to sneak away to the creek. Jumping in, she swam around for a few minutes, washing her clothes in the icy but refreshing water. She peeled off her shirt and trousers and set them on the bank to dry.

She dove beneath the surface, opening her eyes and looking at the smooth rocks at the bottom. She picked one up, and felt it in her hands. Cool and slimy. It would make a nice addition to her rock collection (one of the few joys she had in life.) It had a stripe of white across it that looked like lightning. Her new lightning rock. She came up to the surface, took a deep breath and set it beside her clothes. The sun had warmed them and they would soon be dry enough to wear back and not be noticed. She swam into a shallow part of the creek and looked at the cuts on her ankles. The skin around them had grown puffy and red, but they were being washed as she swam. There was a soft rustle as the wind tickled the bushes around her. She closed her eyes and relaxed.

After a short while in the creek she decided to go back to work before anyone noticed she was gone. She swam downstream to the bank her clothes were drying on. She came up to the spot and found only her rock.

Where did her clothes go? She was _sure_ she had put the rock right beside them. She swam up and down the creek, calmly searching for her clothes. They were no where to be found. Now, her heart beat wildly as she swam up and down, scanning the bank for the things that weren't there. Where did they go?

"_Looking_ for something?" Said a voice behind her. She whirled around, covering her front and sinking lower in the chilly water.

Kilek dangled her clothes out to her.

"Give those to me!" She cried, making no move to get them.

With a mischievous smile he pulled them out of reach.

"Why don't you come and take them?"

She was fuming, and trying to cover herself up at the same time.

"Give my clothes to me, or I'll…"

"You'll _what_?" he sneered, waving them around.

She couldn't think of anything so she narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

"Well since you obviously don't want to negotiate, then I'll just leave them oh, say…over here!"

He ran down to the open space between the barn wall and the river, and dropped them gently onto the grass.

"Come and get them when you're ready!" he said, laughing. With that Kilek ran away, back to his field. Or so Fenna hoped.

She waited, then climbed out of the water cautiously, and took a quick look around. She hoped desperately that no one was looking.

She sprinted into plain sight, naked as a newborn babe, then back into the bushes beside the river. She slipped into her clothes and walked casually back to the tomato patch.

She would get revenge on Kilek, oh, she _would_ get her revenge.

When supper was called, everyone dragged themselves to the house. Fenna's stomach was on fire, and she was glad to be fed. But when the usual gruel came out, Mr. Darga came out as well, and looking fiercely at her and Kilek, reminded them that there would be no rations for them today. He watched them all very closely at the window.

Fenna's heart sank as she watched the others eat their hearts out. Kilek gave her a sly grin when she looked at him.

She poked her tongue out, and turned around to head back to the tomato patch, which was still not finished. Bastard. She hated him so much. She no longer felt bad about his bleeding sides. It was his own fault, anyways. And his fault _she_ got flogged, too.

It was well into the evening that the weeding of the tomatoes was finally finished. Her bloody hands she wiped on her stiff clothes. She sat down in the earth, and inhaled the comforting scent deeply. It stirred many thoughts.

She had never known her mother, as soon as she turned two she was sold to a family in the city and taken care of by a slave woman. Then when she was seven she was sold to weaver. Finding she couldn't weave, they sold her to the Dargas, a farm outside of Helgrind. As for her father, he had left her mother before she was born.

Her work was done for today, so she made her way slowly to the barn for some early sleep. Rafael and Will had already come back, and were sleeping in their piles of straw. Mrs. Darga was in the barn, milking the goat.

"Coming back early are you? Well, girl, you can shovel the manure from the stalls and put it in the pile outside."

Fenna didn't ask why the brothers didn't have to do anything.

"Yes ma'am." She said softly, taking the pitchfork from its place on the wall.

She scooped the poop out of horse's stall and quietly waited for Mrs. Darga to finish. After the old hag left, she cleaned the goat's stall and added the manure to the pile on the floor.

She grinned. Instead of putting the manure in the big fertilizer pile outside, she stuck it in Kilek's bed. Then she covered it up with straw _just_ enough so he wouldn't see or smell it. Then, she sat down in her bed and pretended to slumber.

Soon enough, everyone else was done and they came in. Kilek walked in, taking his long, arrogant strides. She squinted and saw him go around the corner…

"ACK!" Came a sharp cry of surprise. Success! She peeked around the wall of her stall and was delighted to see him standing up, covered in animal droppings. He tried to brush it off, but just ended up smearing it into the fabric.

Great! He would reek for days!

As the candle was blown out, she heard a muttered string of curses fly from Kilek's throat.

They were roused early. It was market day today. Everyone, including Mr. Darga and his children, hauled the sacks of grain and hay to the cart. But the children dragged only about one sack each, then went back inside to play. Poor horse was attached to the laden cart, expected to pull it. When it was all loaded up Mr. Darga sat in the driver's seat and handed Fenna and Kilek each a rope tied to the front.

"You two are coming."

Fenna was slightly shocked. Only once had she been asked to come to the market, and that was to carry an extra sack that hadn't fit. Oh well, she thought, he probably just wants us to help sell it.

As Fenna walked past Kilek, she held her nose, waving her hand in front of her face. Kilek suddenly seemed to realize who put the manure in his bed. He gave her a shove from behind, making her sprawl out on the dusty ground. Flashing him a dirty look, she grabbed a rope and helped pull the wagon out onto the road.

They passed the wheat field, then the huge, freshly planted corn field, then the tomato patch and finally the watermelon patch that was flowering nicely. When they got to the dirt road they didn't have to pull any longer. They merely walked beside the cart quietly. It was a way to Helgrind, and walking it in bare feet wouldn't be much fun.

Hours passed and the walls of the city were barely visible in the distance. The scabs on Fenna's ankles opened up, and thin streaks of blood trickled onto her feet. She mopped her brow, the day was getting quite warm, and gazed over to Kilek. He frowned at her and looked away.

They were approaching a hill just as Mr. Darga yelled at them to grab the roped and help pull. Fenna pulled the rope over her shoulder and threw her weight into it.

"Harder!" Cried Darga, lashing the dreaded whip at their heels.

Together the three beasts of burden dragged the heavy cart up and over the hill. The rope bit deep into her muscles. Fenna rubbed her shoulder and swallowed, looking at the road ahead. Now the city was clearly visible, looming ahead like a dreaded future. A knot was growing in her stomach, getting bigger the closer they got to the gates of hell.

After another long while they reached the city. There were huge stone walls around it, and a large iron gate with spikes blocked their way in. Two armored guards came to inspect the goods in the bags, then let them into the city. They passed many stone and mud houses, and saw peasant children running back and forth in front of the cart. Fenna looked down at her feet. Even peasants were better than slaves, she thought bitterly. They had some freedom.

Then, by accident her foot got caught under the wheel of the cart.

"Ouuuuhhhh!" She cried, pulling it free.

"Watch it, girl!" Barked Darga, smacking her across the temple. She clutched her head and tried to limp after the cart.

Peasant children watched, but didn't seemed too surprised. They must have seen lots of slaves pass through. Slowly the brick houses were replaced by mud shacks and stick houses. The stench of smoke and dirty bodies was heavy in the air. They turned a corner and came to a marketplace. There were small stalls packed on either sides of the narrow cobblestoned street. In them there was everything- from smoked salmon to jewlery and fur. Then they came to a large stall that seemed to deal in grains. Mr. Darga ordered them to unload the cart while he spoke with the merchant. They did as they were told, then Kilek leaded over and whispered in Fenna's ear:

"I don't think we'll be going back to the farm."

"Why not?" She whispered back.

"Look there-" He pointed. There was a money pouch in the seat of the cart. "I think he means to sell us."

She was shocked.

"Sell US?" She exclaimed, a little too loudly.

"Shhh!" He hissed, putting his dirty hand over her mouth.

"Don't touch me!" She cried, slapping it away.

"Shut up, idiot! If you haven't noticed, we've been causing him quite a bit of trouble within the past few weeks. That tomato thing-

"That was YOU!" She snapped.

"It doesn't make a diffrence. And the time we were away part of the afternoon, you think he didn't notice?"

She gave him a dark look.

"Okay okay maybe I shouldn't have followed you…but still! And the time you knocked over the bucket of goat milk."

"Yeah, when you were chasing me!"

"Whatever! But we're still being sold!"

She rolled her eyes and turned her back on him. But it was true, and she knew it. Mr. Darga would not bring his money pouch if he didn't intend to get a fair bit to fill it. After all, he had pockets.

After Mr. Darga and the merchant had reached an agreement, he pulled the slaves back down the street in the cart. Then, they reached the place Fenna had hoped they wouldn't stop at. The slave market. A crowd of people was gathered around a platform. Behind it was a small group of people dressed in slave clothes-old, ragged, brown clothes. They were watched by six armored men.

Darga got out of the cart and led the two over to the auction stage in the back. Fenna looked back and thought her last goodbyes to horse, poor old horse. He watched her, turning his big grey head as they came closer to the podium and farther away from him.

"Oooooh! I see we have two fresh ones here," Said the auctioneer, grinning greedily. "Bring them up!"

Kilek and Fenna were shoved up the stairs and put in front of the crowd. Now Fenna could see they were all well dressed lords and ladies, likely all fairly rich.

Darga chatted briefly with the auctioneer before he put a hand up and started talking.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen. These two have come from a farm not too far from here, both experienced with the concepts in that. As you can see, the boy here is well built and would make an excellent archer, or of course he could remain farm lad. He's spunky and energetic, and I'm sure would work well for hard labor someday! Do I hear thirty?"

There was a frenzied bidding until the price was settled on fourty-six gold pieces. Fenna watched as Kilek was led down the stairs by an assistant to a man in a green outfit. Kilek looked back at Fenna with an inscrutable expression.

"Now, this young lady is quiet and obedient, and is good with her hands. Erm…she would probably like to be with her friend there, as I have been told she enjoys his company." He nodded towards the man in the fancy green outfit.

Fenna gawked at this statement. WHAT had Darga told him!

"A good weaver she would make, with the proper teaching. As you can see, she is rather attractive, and you might even be able to have some _fun_ with her, eh?"

The crowd laughed a bit, and many whispers were exchanged. Fenna froze. A _sex _slave! She could not think of anything worse to be. But surely only very wealthy men could afford a slave for that. She shuddered as the bidding went up to thirty-eight gold pieces. She was bought by the same man that bought Kilek. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

She was led down the opposite stairs of the platform, slightly angered that she did not fetch as high a price as Kilek.

Well, she thought. At least the same man who bought a worker is unlikely to want to buy a slave for sex.

The man snatched their chains and pulled them aside.

"All right. I am a house servant to Count and Countess Zuleban. They have requested a gardener and a stable hand." He puffed out his chest. "Now, of course, since you are slaves…" He practically spat the word out. "you shall not be getting paid, like the peasant servants. But you will be suitably accommodated."

_Suitably _accommodated? What was that supposed to mean?

"Oh yes, and unlike peasant servants you may not leave the residence until you are sold. But I am sure you already assumed that."

He smiled smugly, as if trying to rub in the fact that they would have no choice in the matter anyways. He gazed down at their ankles and legs, seeing the dried blood.

"What, pray, did you do to deserve _that_?"

"We…knocked over a tomato plant." Said Kilek. Fenna gave him a fearsome look.

"HE knocked over the tomato plant. And I got punished for it anyways."

The man rubbed his chin and frowned.

"All right, enough of that. We had better get going. And I won't ask why you smell of dung." He motioned towards Kilek and led the way through the crowd, tightly gripping their wrist chains.

Fenna could now feel the full effects of the cart on her right foot. It was throbbing, and quite purple when she looked down at it. They walked throguh the smokey and crowded streets until they turned a corner, went down another street and came to a road that seemed to have very wealthy estates along it. As they came up to a huge stone house, the man in green turned to them.

"Do not say anything foolish to the count or countess if they are here. Just let me talk and keep your little beggar mouths shut, alright?"

They nodded, though slowly and not with anticipation of their new masters.

He rang the doorbell, waiting for the maid to come and escort them in.

Disclaimer: I do not own Eragon or any of the place names, but I do own all the characters in _this_ story.


	2. The Manor

Chapter 2: The Manor 

Kilek gawked at the house. It was huge! At least three stories high. Stone gargoyles rolled their eyes at them, crafted with menacing detail. Magnificent windows gleamed din the sun, and even the steps below their feet were made with marble, white as the mist on a rainbow.

She door was answered by a stout lady dressed in a green dress, made form the same material as the man was wearing.

She looked down her nose at the two urchins.

"Ah…yes come in. You with me." She briskly walked away, and Fenna and Kilek nearly had to jog to follow her. She led them to a closet, with an elaborately carved door. There were horses and oak trees on it, and on top there was an elven phrase, though he seemed to recognize it from somewhere.

She pulled out two green uniforms, A dress for Fenna and trousers and a shirt for Kilek. They quickly slipped the garments on, and gave the lady their clothes, which were promptly thrown away. Kilek could not help but feel remorse for the filthy clothes. All day long, for years, they had worked in those clothes, now to be thrown away.

The new green outfit was stiff and clean. He wasn't used to such fine clothes, being a slave. There was gold embroidery on the front, and gold trim on the sleeves.

The lady also gave them a pair of leather shoes, which they weren't sure how to put on at first. Kilek slipped his on, and they were cold and tight. He had never worn shoes or socks in his life, he was so used to feeling the ground beneath his feet all the time.

"Your quarters are in the servant house, out back. You can find it easily, just walk out the back door and to the left." She looked upwards at the stairwell, where underneath was a plain wood door, hidden behind the marble support pillars.

"We will be eating in about an hour. If you have any questions…feel free to ask any of the other servants…" Her lips were tight as if she was fighting back something nasty to say.

She promptly picked up her skirts and shimmied up the stairs.

Fenna sulked.

"She was a barrel of laughs, wouldn't you say?"

"Quite," Kilek replied, heading for the small door. Opening the worn handle, the two came into a stone hallway, that led to a rectangular room with many bunk beds packed along the walls. The stone floor was clean and well kept, but obviously not meant to be walked on by the masters of the house. That was why the room was so out-of-the-way. There was no one in the room, the only thing inside it besides candle stumps and beds was a note tacked on the wall-

_New servants:_

_Your bed is the one on the far right corner. Report to the stables for further instruction._

Kilek ripped it off and crumpled it up, putting it in his pocket.

"Let's go I guess."

Fenna gave him an odd look.

"What's your problem? You've been grumpy all day!"

He snorted, then thought of something witty to say.

"I was hoping you'd be bought off by someone else."

She scowled at him, then went out the door leading to the back yard.

Kilek closed the door and came out to the jungle of a garden. Huge topiaries towered over his head, and the enormous rosebushes were laden with blossoms. Flowerbeds the size of the servants' quarters were perfectly tended, and a sea of color unfolded in front of him.

This is what he would have to look after.

"Come on, idiot!" Yelled Fenna from around the side of the house.

He blinked the overwhelming jungle garden out of his mind and ran up the stone path, and around the corner.

"Ai, so that be the gardener…" Croaked an old man, leaning on a shovel.

Fenna, Kilek, and the old servant man were standing beside the stable…basically a long shack with a few horses and a cow at the end. There were messy piles of straw here and there, and the whole area stank of manure.

"Yes, I'm Kilek…" He said, eyeing the man's whispy white hair and weathered skin. It wasn't really skin, more like shriveled clumps of flesh clinging to the fragile old skull. Two veiny eyeballs topped it off, poking out from under the brow.

"Kee-lak…what and odd name." Said the man, rubbing his chin. "Anyways, I'm Koarwick. I'm the old gardener, and…" he coughed loudly. Kilek thought he might barf up a lung coughing so hard. "Yeeeeesss…I will show you the basic method of trimming and planting. As for you, my darling, I think you can manage here on your own, yes?"

Fenna nodded, fiddling with her hands.

Fenna walked down to the cow's stall and began to put in fresh hay. Koarwick motioned for Kilek to follow, handing him a pair of gloves and some shears.

They went down the path and through a hole in a hedge to a white rosebush.

"Ye know how teh trim a bush, kid?"

He shook his head.

"Well. Here. Ye cut off any branches that stick out, like this one." Snip! "Ye cut off any dead leaves or branches." Snip! Snip! "And ye cut off any dead roses or rose hips." Snip! Snip! Snip Snip! Then you pick up all thees and put it under the bush te make fertiliser. But make sure it's not in sight, or the Countess'll have yer head! Now you try."

Kilek snipped off two twigs sticking out.

"Good, good. Now get those dead leaves and rose hips off."

He got a dozen yellow leaves out, and clipped off what he thought was a dead rose but what was actually a live bud.

"No, no, NOOO!" The old bag screamed. He clouted Kilek across the forehead, and it was suprisingly painful for such a withered old prune. "You just ruined a perfectly good rose, now you must trim the stem!"

He went on and on about how you need to trim as close the the branch as possible, to avoid yellowing. And how you mist never cut a leaf in half, or it will wither. And how you never cut from the bottom of the shears. And how you must always trim the bush off the ground. He went on and on, and by the time Supper came Kilek's head was bruised and throbbing. He came into the servants' quarters, where Fenna had already arrived, her hands filthy as she ate quietly on their bunk bed in the corner.

A basket of bread was set on the table and about ten other servants were eating, some in a great hurry. Kilek grabbed some bread and went over to join Fenna.

"Get your own seat." She snapped, spreading her legs out so he couldn't sit down. Her straight black hair blocked the view of her eyes.

He grumbled under his breath and climbed up onto the top bunk. Ripping a bite of bread off, he noticed it tasted considerably better than gruel.

Quickly, he ate it all, being quite hungry. He and Fenna hadn't eaten since the last meal Darga had given them.

One of the servants ran out of them room.

"See you later guys!" The stout woman called after them.

"Where are they going?" He heard Fenna's voice say from below.

"Oh, she's off to serve the Count and Countess's dinner." She replied, turning back around to chat with the other servants.

Kilek took a deep, long sigh. Even though it was only after dinner, he felt rather tired from the long day and from pulling the awful cart into the market. His shoulder still ached from dragging it up the big hill. Laying down on the bed, the boy gazed up at the stone ceiling and wondered what it was like to be a noble. You could do what you want, when you wanted and make everyone around you do what you wanted. You could eat when and how much you wanted, sleep when you wanted and go out when you wanted. And most nobles did barely more than lift a finger around the house.

_Mansion!_

He rolled his eyes as he corrected himself. Below him he could hear Fenna chatting it up with another slave-servant!

"Yeah, this place is probably at least a hundred years old," Says a male servant.

"So do you think they would have made a basement in this thing?" Says Fenna.

"Yes, there's a root cellar somewhere around back. But only the gardeners ever go in there." He replies.

A strange, watery feeling wafted up from his stomach into his chest. Rolling over on the bed, he ignored it and tried to fall asleep amongst the noise.

He was soon awakened by a gentle hand. One of the maids said he and Fenna were requested by the Countess.

"Who would request _us_?" Fenna asked to herself, walking out the door.

"Someone who wants to see ugly girls." Chuckled Kilek sleepily. She flashed him a hating look before turning around and stomping down the hallway towards the marble stairs. A green maid escorted them up to a room.

It was luxuriously decorated, red velvet drapes adorned the windows, strange and exotic animal skins covered the floor. Beautifully carved tables and plump chairs were simply gleaming with silver and gold, imbedded in the designs. On a red velvet couch, sat a woman, wearing extravagant jewlery and a long, silk dress. It was deep orange, and embroidered with flowers and beads. Her light brown hair was tied up in a very tight bun; and her delicate face framed deep brown eyes. She was very beautiful, thought Kilek. She surveyed the two servants thoughtfully.

"So these are the slaves?" She asked, in a rather bored voice.

"Yes, madam." Said the maid, standing at the door.

"They look pretty scrawny to me." She said, gazing at her rings.

"The seller assured Cardin they were hard working, madam."

"I'm sure they are, once you've whipped them half to death." She snapped. She eyed their bruised and scabbed feet.

"Clean them up, they smell terrible. And for heaven's sake, wrap their ankles in something!" She turned around, waving her hand in dismissal. "You may go."

"Yes m'lady!" Sqeaked the maid, and she whisked the two out of the room.

The large doors were slammed behind them, and the maid turned to face them.

"My name is Penny. I am a lady in waiting to the mistress- if you ever need to see her come to me first." Her bright red curls shook as she spoke. She had round, rosy cheeks and was a bit on the chubby side. Shimmying down the stairs, Fenna and Kilek followed her into a small room on the other side of the servants' quarters. It was a tiny room, with a bucket of water and a large, deep basin for bathing in. There was also a covered container for relieving yourself.

"There is soap in this box," Said Penny. She opened a small tin and put it back on the floor.

"You will have to collect water from the well, and heat it outside." She said, pointing to the door that led to the back yard. "You will have to share."

Kilek could not think of one thought more revolting than bathing in used water. That is, water _used_ by _Fenna_.

At least on Darga's farm they could take baths in the cold stream, alone.

As soon as peggy left they both dove for the tub.

"_I'M FIRST_!"

There was a collision of bodies and quite a scramble before Kilek snatched the metal tub and sprang outside.

"Aha!" He cried.

"You don't need a bath! You've barely done anything!" She snapped, holding up her muddy hands for him to see.

"More than you've done, skank!"

"And you would know?"

"I have the bruises to prove it!" He pointed at his forhead.

Fenna gave Kilek a dark look and then she walked out of the room, arms crossed.

What did he care if she was mad at him? Fenna was a stupid, annoying girl who he could happily live without.

Trudging down the cobblestone path in the garden, he spotted the well. It was small and round, with a wooden cover on top. He reached the well, and, pulling the cover off saw a rope attatched to the bucket. After quite a few loads of water, the basin was full.

The grass around the well was overgrown, yet the hedges surrounding the area were perfect. As he grabbed the tub, something struck him.

How was he supposed to lift it?

He pulled up. It barely moved. Then Kilek tried to drag it, but it would only wobble and jerk across the grass. After many attempts he collapsed on the grass and panted, clutching his hurting side. There was no way Fence would help him. He smiled at the nickname. Fence was what he called her when they first met. Whenever he wanted to get on her nerves, he would call her Fence.

This time, Kilek dug his fingers underneath. Heaving with all his strength, he pulled the heavy tub up and pressed it to his chest. He took short, shuffling steps while he made his way back to the servant house.

The servants ate quietly around the table. Tonight's dinner was bread, cheese and chicken soup.

One person was missing. Fenna was still in the washroom, taking her bath. But in total there were five servants. Himself, Fence, Penny, Cardin (the man who bought them), and Koarwick. Penny was usually upstairs most of the day, waiting on the Countess.

Suddenly Fenna came into the room. She had dried herself off, and was wearing the green skirt and top. She wore a monotonous expression.

"Hello," Said Cardin cheerfully.

She nodded silently and grabbed some bread.

_A cemetery is more talkative than this bunch._

After they ate the servants all climbed into bed, a few running around to clean up and do the last chores.

He closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly.


	3. The Discovery

Disclaimer: I do not Own Eragon…jeez…

Chapter 3: The Discovery

As Fenna woke up, she felt sunlight on her skin. With a quick survey around the room she found the door of the servants' quarters was open.

She jumped down from the bed. All of the other servants had gone.

Oh no! What if she was late!

Fenna jogged around to the stables, where the cow greeted her with a hungry bawl. She fed the animals quickly, and raked in the manure. Then she put in fresh straw for them and refilled the water trough.

Just then, a cry of laughter rose from the side of the building. The countess emerged, this time wearing an exquisite blue gown. She was with the count, a tall hard-eyed man wearing a long brown coat and carrying a scepter crusted with jewels. Cartin was with them, and he brought out some strange leather contraptions.

"Stable girl, help Cartin bridle up a horse." Ordered the count. He waved his hand at her and turned back to the countess.

Cartin shrugged the gear off and took out the black horse. He put on a whole bunch of straps and buckles, then slipped a large collar about his neck. Fenna watched quietly, not knowing what to do. Soon the horse was led around to the front, where she saw he was hitched up to a gleaming black carriage. Cartin hopped in the driver's seat, and the Count and Countess got into the cab. In no time at all, the fancy carriage was speeding down the street.

She watched it go down, then returned around to the stables.

She sat, bored. Her job was done…at least until after lunch when they needed feeding again. Maybe she would go bother the idiot.

Fenna made her way down to the huge garden. In the morning sun her tanned skin looked like fresh peaches. Her dark eyes searched for Kilek, but he was nowhere within sight.

"Ki-leeeek!" She called with her hands cupped around her mouth. She waited for a reply and fiddled with the iron cuffs around her wrists. They could only come off with a blacksmith's tools, otherwise, they were permanent until the wearer died.

"Whaa-at!" Came the answer, mockingly.

"Where aaare you?" She called, going down a completely random path.

"I'm over hee-eer…" She followed his voice until she found him pruning a hedge.

"Having fun?" She asked, examining his work.

"Not really." He said, making a cut.

"You missed a spot." She said, pointing at a leaf sticking out from the top.

"Whatever…" He grumbled, snipping it off and making a few more cuts in other places.

She walked around hi and pretended to nod and think as she watched him snip.

"There really is an art to this, isn't there?" She asked, stroking her chin.

"Don't you have anything to do?" He burst out, turning to face her.

This is exactly what she had been waiting for.

_Time to rub it in!_

"As a matter of fact…I don't. You see, some of us can get our work done early so we don't-

"Oh _really_ now?" Came a croaky voice from behind the two of them. They both jumped slightly, then Fenna whirled to face the speaker.

It was Koarwick. He had a pair of gloves on and was holding a bag of fertilizer.

"Umm.." Fenna fumbled around for something to say.

"Well in that case, instead of pestering my apprentice you may give the lilies a light dusting of _this_." He thrust her the heavy bag of manure. Giving her an almost toothless smile, Koarwick nodded questioningly.

"Erm…Yes…sir…" Fenna said quickly.

"I'm sure Kilek would be kind enough to show you where the gardening gloves are."

With that said, the old man hobbled away, humming some strange sea shanty.

She didn't look at him. She knew already what his facial expression would be like.

"Stay here…I'll get you some gloves." He said, trying to stifle a laugh. She waited in front of the hedge for a few moments, then when he emerged he carried a pair of red cloth gloves.

"Thanks." She said, taking them. He nodded and went back to work.

After she fertilized the lilies (it took her half an hour to find them) Fenna decided to go for a walk around the garden.

There were so many pathways, it boggled her mind. Soon it would be lunchtime, she thought. The sun was high in the sky, and its golden rays made the flowers glow and intensified the colors.

_It's like a whole other world._

A bright yellow butterfly flittered past, and landed on a small pink flower on the left hand side of the path. The flower sunk down from its weight, and then shot back up as it took off. Tall topiaries were walling the path, with flowerbeds at their feet. A sweet blossom smell drifted on the breeze.

Suddenly Fenna could hear something in the distance. High-pitched laughing.

_The Countess!_

She sped down the paths and back towards the Manor. Inside the servants' quarters the servants were busy. Penny was gone, and the others were tidying things up. Then, Cartin appeared. He looked exhausted.

"I need to get some sleep.." He said, in a troubled voice. "Oh yes, and the count would like to see you, Koarwick."

The old man stopped where he was and scratched his head. His brow furrowed for a minute, then he walked out the door.

After the servants had tidied the quarters up, most of them went out to do other shores. Penny was, as usual serving the count and countess their supper. Only Carton slept on his bunk. Fenna went outside to tend the animals. When she was done she came back in and climbed up to the bunk bed for a nap. But she noticed a pair of muddy shoes lay on her sheets. _Kilek's_ muddy shoes.

"This is the last straw!" She said between clenched teeth. Taking the shoes by the heels, she slammed them down on the stone floor.

_I have a better idea._

Fenna ran outside with the shoes and into the garden.

_Now if I could just find it._

After much searching, she found what she was seeking. She knew Kilek would not be outside at the moment, because his shoes were inside.

She dropped them down the well, listening to the 'SPLASH' They made as they hit the water.

And so the battle began.

That night Kilek found his shoes were gone, and noticing them floating in the well the next day decided to get revenge.

That afternoon, he took Fenna's sheets and threw them in the garbage pile. This declaration of war was answered by his clothes being buried under a bush. Mysteriously, the next day Fenna's comb, towels and hair ribbons were found on the rooftop. Then Kilek's gardening gloves had somehow seemed to be filled with mud. That very night, Fenna's pillow was nowhere to be found.

As the days wore on, the 'mischievous raccoon' seemed to be getting worse and worse. The bolts on Fenna's bunk were extremely loose one night, and it fell onto the bunk below the instant she lay down. ( Luck would have it Kilek was taking a washroom break just then.)

This was thought to be the last of the mischievous raccoon's doings, but six days afterwards Kilek fell into a large hole in the garden that was covered with grass and sticks. At the bottom was manure. (Naturally.)

"Funny," Said Cartin. "This…raccoon of yours seems to only target you two-" (He motioned towards Kilek and Fenna) "And he seems to do his tricks in perfect pattern. I also _never _would have guessed any animal could be so handy with the screwdriver or shovel."

Fenna avoided eye contact as she nibbled her roll. Kilek sat, eating his bread, shirtless. All his clothes were being washed at the moment except for one pair of chaps. Fenna was desperately trying to tear her eyes off of him. Nature was taking over her, and it was her nature to look at him.

But she couldn't! He was her _sworn_ enemy!

She gulped and looked down at her dinner.

"Something _wrong_, fencepost?"

"No. Just got swallowed a big chunk of bread."

When they went to bed she wrapped her sheets tightly around her body, and closed her eyes so hard that sprinkles of color and stars were blooming on her eyelids.

But she still couldn't stop thinking about _him_.

The next morning she was extremely wary of tricks. After all, she had played the latest one. She carefully inspected her ladder before going down the bunkbed. When she walked out the door she checked for trip wires. And when Fenna was in the stables she looked at the halters very closely to make sure there weren't any strings attached to them or spiders behind them. After a few hours, she was sure it would be another day he would get revenge.

At lunch they ate their cheese and ham quite noisily, Koarwick chatting with Cartin about how nice this new decorative sage bush was. Penny was back chatting with Fenna, and Kilek was polishing his shears.

"Yes, the mistress is out today, so I won't be serving her lunch."

"You'll be tidying the house though?"

"Oh heavens yes. That's what I do most of the time anyways."

Fenna swept back her black hair and crammed the rest of her cheese in her mouth, swallowing it whole. Good. At least Penny would be doing _some_ real work.

When lunch was done Koarwick took the plates to the kitchen. Fenna was on her way out the door when she received a tap on the shoulder. Turning the face Kilek, she immediately prepared for an attack.

"Relax already! Come with me I need to show you something." His voice was very quiet.

"Oh come on. I'm really not _that_ stupid."

"No, I'm serious! Fenna please come with me!"

"Go back to your work, garden boy." She said, turning around and heading around the side of the house.

"Wait! I won't do anything, I _promise_!" He was trying to keep his voice low as he was chasing after her.

Kilek had never promised Fenna about anything. So technically, he had a clean slate. But still…

"If this turns out to be revenge, then you're-

"It's not! Just come see what I found!" His eyes flashed beggingly.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"_Please_. Please come see what I found."

After a long hesitation she sighed and agreed.

Immediately, he whisked her off to deep in the garden, past the well and almost into the forest behind. They stopped at the edge of the garden. Beyond the spiked fence she could make out a square imprint in the soil.

"I was replanting some petunias back here and I saw that." He pointed to it. "I'm pretty sure it's a trap door, but I can't open it. I've tried everything. I even tried to break it open with a shovel, but the wood is like nothing I've ever seen!"

"Let's take a look." Fenna went up to the tall fence, and grabbed a bar in each hand. As she scrambled over the spikes at the top, her skirt caught and ripped. She fell onto the soft soil, landing with a 'THUD!'.

"Owch…" She rubbed her behind and got up, inspecting the damage. There was a rip at the front from the bottom seam almost to the hip.

"Are you okay?" Grunted Kilek as he struggled over the sharp peaks.

"No! Penny is going to wonder about _this_!" She pointed at the tear, trying to press the edges together. _Wishing_ they would join.

If he hadn't turned around, Fenna would have seen him blushing.

"See?" He said as he dusted it off. It was about the size of a table, and carved out of a very strange wood. There was a bunch of mud covering it, but it most certainly made out of wood.

"So you said you can't open it?" She said, selecting a big, heavy rock from under a bush. There was a sharp end to it. Perfect.

"Yeah. I tried smashing it with a shovel, I tried wrenching it open with a steel bar, I tried-

BOOM!

She picked up the heavy rock. Beneath it was the wood, without so much as the tiniest scrape.

"Oh my gosh.." She stared at the spot where she slammed the rock down. Fenna could swear there was a gleam of light.

"I told you!" Said Kilek, coming over to the tablet and scraping the mud off with his fingernails. She joined in, and before long there was a picture of an eagle and a horse, about a foot apart from each other. In between was carved phrase. It looked like elvish, but somewhat different.

"Do you know what that says?" Kilek asked her.

"Oh yes. I can make it out here…It says…Kilek is an idiot and knows I only speak Alagaesian."

He snorted and shook his head. Fenna looked over the mysterious phrase again and again.

"Maybe the masters will have a book on languages in the library."

It was true, the library in the manor was quite extensive, they had both seen it. There was sure to be something useful in it.

"Maybe we could ask Penny to take a look, seeing as how we aren't allowed upstairs unless requested." He said, stretching his legs out.

"Good idea. For once." Fenna caught his eye, smirking.

"Very funny. Let's get back to work."

She nodded in agreement and stood up, dusting herself off.

"Truce?" She offered her hand to him.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Truce." They shook hands firmly before looking back at the tablet.

"We had better cover this up."

"Yeah…"

They kicked dirt and leaves onto it until it looked untouched.

This time Kilek gave Fenna a boost over the fence.

All day the mysterious tablet was in her mind, eating away at her thoughts. She wondered why it was unopenable.

After supper and right before bed she pulled Penny aside and asked her if there were any books on ancient languages in the library.

"Oh I wouldn't know. Why would you need that sort of thing?"

"It interests me."

She gave her a funny look.

"_Interests_?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well then. I'm usually _not_ allowed in the library, but I'll see what I can do."

The next morning while Fenna was doing her shores, Penny came out carrying an old book.

"Here, dear. This is all I could find." She handed her the book and waddled off.

"Thanks!" She called after her.

It was very, very old. What were once leather bindings were now rigid, cracked and worn. The pages were yellow and torn in places. Fenna opened it, and gazed at the pages, only to remember one thing:

She couldn't read.

_Oh no! What am I going to do!_

Maybe Kilek knew how to read. He had better.

She tucked the old book in her pocket and continued to work. Shovel after shovelful of manure and hay was _really _hard work. After a few hours of it her back and arms were burning. She threw the tool down into the straw and collapsed onto a hay bale. It wouldn't matter if she stopped or not, scince she was almost done…

"Uhh…." She sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

"Slacking off, are you?" Teased a voice beside her.

Her eyes snapped open. His shadow was looming over her.

"Go away, don't you have things to do?"

He snickered. "I quote, you missed a spot, there and there and there." He pointed to three spots where she hadn't shoveled yet.

"Oh, go fu-

"So, have you gotten something yet? I saw Penny coming around here a while ago."

"Yeah, but I just realized something. I can't read. And neither can you."

"Ah ah ah. Don't assume that!"

"What, you're saying you can _read_?" She sat up, her jaw hanging open.

"Yes."

"But you, never…who taught you?"

"Before Darga bought me another slave on a different farm tought me."

"But _slaves_ can't read! They keep it that way on purpose!"

"I know. He stole a book from the old master's child and taught himself."

Her brow furrowed. Another thing _he_ could do that she _couldn't_. She hated it when that happened.

"Well then, I suppose you'll have to teach _me_ as well!" She crossed her arms and smiled brightly at him.

One corner of Kilek's mouth slid upwards.

"Who says I _have_ to?"

"_Me_ that's who. And unfortunately for YOU, without _this _book- (She took it out of her pocket and wagged it in front of him) you will NOT be deciphering the tablet."

He tried to snatch it but she swiped it away.

"Okay fine. But I get the book first." He said, rolling his eyes.

"No way! I get the lessons first!"

"You'll keep it for yourself!" He said hotly.

"_You'll _keep it for yourself!"

They both stared hard at each other for a long while.

"Ugh. Fine. I'll give you the book, but you have to promise to teach me." Fenna said, with downcast eyes.

"Naw, that's okay, just keep it." He mumbled, pushing the hair out of his eyes.

Fenna looked at him, shocked he was actually doing something for her _without_ being blackmailed.

"It's okay, you can have it…" She extended the book towards him.

"Oh, alright…" He took it slowly, locking his dark eyes with hers. For a second she thought she felt a warm surge of blood rush to her face. Then it was gone.

"Meet me on my bunk after lunch."


	4. Upsizing

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon, once again. I don't own the place names. I only own my characters. Which is pretty much everyone in here…

**Chapter 4: Not Again**

Sure enough, Fenna showed up for her reading lesson. It was a very hot day today, and all the servants had a good coating of sweat on them. He watched as she sat down beside him, mopping her brow.

"It's as if Alagaesia has been put into a frying pan…" She murmured.

"No kidding…" He took the book out and put it on his lap. "Alright. We had better begin with the letters of the alphabet."

Fenna furrowed her brow.

"What's the Alf-ebat?"

"All the symbols, er…letters that make the language."

"Oh.." She didn't seem to fully get it.

He opened the book and turned to a page that listed some translations.

"Here. This is the Alagaesian alphabet. These ones here." He pointed to a line on the top." He looked at her face. Her eyes sparkled with wonder.

She was a suprisingly fast learner, and after a half hour she could recite the whole thing. Then Kilek taught her what sound each letter made, and how to write them in the sand.

"Good, good, now tomorrow I'll teach you how to put them together and make words."

"I want to learn _now_!" She crossed her arms. "The sooner I can decipher that tablet, the better."

"Shhhh!" He pressed his finger to his lips. If this blabber mouth spoke any louder, the whole manor would hear.

Fenna rolled her eyes at him.

"Besides, I'm too tired. I need a break from teaching."

"Fine. I suppose I'll see you at supper then…" She got off the bed and walked out the door. As her pleated skirt brushed against his knee a strange shiver went through him. It was something he had never felt before, and especially not around _Fenna._

It was a long afternoon. There were many plants that needed watering, and the big bucket was broken, so Kilek could only use the small pail. He made dozens and dozens of trips to the well and back, all with the scorching sun relentlessly beating down on his skin. And to make it worse, he was not even done. The cherry tree needed to be trimmed, the orchids needed to be tended to, the entire cobblestone path had to be scrubbed, and the central hedges were dehydrated. It was as if the work would never end. After Kilek did a quick, messy job on the cherry tree in the courtyard, he went to the tool shed to get a stiff bristled broom.

He found there was not even a mop.

_Maybe Koarwick has it._

He trudged down the path, praying his aching muscles could continue for just a while longer. Koarwick told him he would be in the topiary section…

Suddenly something grasped his attention. It was a sound quite unlike he had ever heard. He couldn't tell what it was. He stopped and listened for a while, then realized what it was.

A human voice.

It was most certainly not talking, it was something else. It wafted over the garden like a summer's breeze. He wanted to follow it. He trudged down the path, trying to see where the hypnotic sound was coming from. Then, it stopped suddenly. He rounded the corner and saw nothing but Fenna sitting at the fountain and running her hands through the water. She gave him a sharp look.

"What was that?" He asked, looking around to see where it had came from.

She raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"_I_ was singing. And you interrupted me."

"You…_you _were doing that?"

The tiniest hint of red seeped into her cheeks.

"Yes. Have you _never_ heard someone sing?"

"Not that I can remember, no." He fidgeted with his stiff collar.

"Wow. You really must have had a pathetic childhood."

"I never knew my family much. I was sold the instant I could walk."

"Hm. You want me to feel sorry for you or something? Every slave's life is like that."

"I guess."

Fenna clearly wanted him to leave, she was sighing and running her fingers through her long hair.

"See you at supper…for the second time." He said with a bit of a grin.

She nodded her head slowly, looking at her hands.

When he rounded the corner, he hoped he would hear the singing again. But Fenna was silent this time.

The chores went agonizingly slow. By the time supper rolled around Kilek was barely able to drag himself to the manor. Dinner tonight was pork and rice soup and some old bread.

He fell asleep the instant his head touched the pillow.

Morning was catastrophic. He had gotten up late, and for some reason everyone was running around like madmen, gathering things and reorganizing the room.

He got out of bed and grabbed Cardin by the shoulder.

"What in the name of Alagaesia is going on here?"

"No time to talk. Get your stuff and get to the front gate!"

He swiped his extra clothes and gloves from under the bed. Then he caught sight of the girl.

"Fenna! What is happening!"

She rolled her eyes impatiently.

"If you had gotten up the same times as the res-

"Explain, don't lecture."

"Fine. Rumor has it that they found a huge colony of savages out in the Hadarac desert. Slave prices have hit _rock bottom_!"

A ball of coldness was growing in his chest.

"So let me guess…everyone _here_ is being replaced?"

"Yeah."

Before anyone could say anything more the countess burst into the room, clad in a dark red gown.

"Out to the carriage you two! Or we will be late! She yanked Fenna and he out into the foyer and thrust them towards the front entrance.

"The rest of you! Finish up and _get_ a move on!"

They were shoved into the cabin of the carriage, sitting across from the Count and Countess. Now Kilek could get a good look at the count. He was a very snobby sort of man, and had a thick black moustache. He wore expensive cloth robes trimmed with red velvet. His over cape was done up with a clasp bearing a bright blue jewel.

The countess poked her head out of the hole in the door impatiently as the vehicle jolted into motion. Her delicate features were furrowed into a frown.

"Can Cardin not make those beats move any faster?" She snapped, suddenly sitting up and rapping loudly on the wall between Kilek and Fenna. He noticed she smelled of primroses.

Being in a carriage was a new experience for him. It was much smoother than a vegetable cart, and had very comfortable seats. He had expected the masters to make them run along behind it. That's what Darga would have done at least…

"Hey..uh do you think you can teach me some more letters?" Asked Fenna, her eyes shining. She opened the book to the front page where all the letters were.

"Of course not. Not _now_ anyways."

She sighed and put on her usual frown, slipping the book in her pocket once more.

"We are here!" He heard Cardin shout. The door was opened and a wave of noise hit the carriage.

It was pandemonium. Complete and total pandemonium.

They were at the dreaded slave market once more, except this time it was much different. At the center of the square was an enormous pen. Inside were hundreds of people, all wearing light colored cloth- the kind that the Hadarac people wore.

"Master and Mistress Zuleban, this way!" Cardin shouted at them through the crowd while dragging the two slaves along.

All around the fence was an enormous crowd, shouting and holding up money, pointing at the one they wanted. About a dozen market employees ran around with sheep crooks and chains, whisking away the slaves. (Who were huddled in the middle, wide eyed.)

The Count and Countess waved over a marketer and presented Kilek and Fenna to him.

"How much for the two?" Asked the count.

"They are slaves?" He said gruffly, noticing the outfits. He lifted up their sleeves and saw the iron cuffs, still there.

"Ah. Come to the gate."

They walked to the gate of the human corral and after a meager 12 gold pieces were handed over, the two green outfitted kids were yanked in and the gate was slammed. And that was the last that Kilek ever saw of Cardin, the Count, or the beautiful Countess.

The pock-marked man took out 4 heavy chains and a hammer from his belt. Then he slipped an open link onto each wrist and ankle cuff, and pounded them shut.

"Now you go in the middle and wait till someone buys you." He said, and turned away to do Fenna's chains. She looked very pale, almost petrified.

The man finished her chains and she ran over.

"This is madness." She said, looking around.

"And just when we thought thing were looking up."

If he weren't so worried himself he might have notice Fenna beside him, clinging onto his sleeve.


	5. The Hard days have come

Disclaimer: Still Don't own em'. Sorry guys there's tons of crappy mistakes in the chapters…I'll fix them I promise! (Eventually) This is a whopper of a chapter, so curl up with a nice bag of cheezies and enjoy!

**Chapter 5: The Hard Days have come**

Fenna watched, terrified as people were pointing and shouting at the slaves they wanted. She tried to hide behind Kilek, only to crash into a running marketer.

"There! That lot there!" Said a tall, hooked nose man. He was pointing right at them. A marketer got his sheep stick and gathered a group of slaves, mostly male, into a huddle. She and Kilek were part of that huddle.

_What is this, a cattle sale?_

"Is this alright Sir, or shall I find you more lads?"

"This is excellent. How about 65 for the lot?"

"Very good." The herd of cattle was squeezed through the gate and shoved out through the boisterous crowd and onto the street, which was rushing with human and horse traffic.

"Okay scum, get into the wagon. Stay still and keep quiet or you'll feel this on your forehead." He held up a large leather whip. "And don't you dare jump out or try to escape. You know what happens to scum who do that!"

Fenna fiddled with her chains and looked for Kilek. She couldn't see him.

Although she didn't particularly care about him, a strange urge inside was making her panic.

Where was he? Did he come in their group?

They were seated in a cramped wooden wagon. It was pulled by two big horses; with many long, angry scars on their rumps. Fenna did not have a good feeling about the new masters.

"Get on!" bellowed the hooked nose man, and he snapped the reins. The wagon lurched to motion.

Suddenly Fenna remembered something.

_The wooden door in the garden._

How were they supposed to investigate it _now_? A wave of despair washed over her, like a bucket of fish water dumped on her head.

The ride to the Sherwoker farm was long and very bumpy. Only nervous smalltalk was quietly exchanged between the other slaves.

When they arrived, Fenna could not believe her eyes. The farm was HUGE- The fields were practically endless, and many people were working. Three buildings lay in the center of it all. One was obviously a house, the other a barn, and the other…

"Get off!" Yelled the hooked man. Everyone jumped off the wagon. He directed them to the third building, which was quite large but very shabby.

"This is your area." He said, opening the doors with a large sliding bolt. "You will sleep here."

It was much worse than Mr. Darga's farm. No beds of straw lay anywhere for them to curl up on; it was simply hard, dusty ground all around.

"Wait here until my son comes in to give directions, then you may eat." He slammed the door, and from outside was heard the sliding of the metal bolt.

It was dark, and cold. Only dim, dusty light was making its way through the cracks in the walls.

There were whispers circulating, and a few people went to huddle in the corner. Fenna settled herself on the outskirts of one such a cluster.

It was a while before the door was thrown open and a man who looked to be about twenty came in.

"Okay. Everyone here will be cutting grass in the field adjacent. But that's for tomorrow so don't bother." The door was slammed again and the bolt fixed into place.

Fenna received a poke in her arm.

A younger woman was looking at her outfit.

"Is this a _mistake_? Where did a slave get such fine clothing?"

She suddenly realized she must have stood out from everyone else, who was wearing filthy rags.

"I worked for some wealthy nobles before this."

The woman cocked an eyebrow.

"_Worked_ for? Pah! We slaves are merely beasts of burden to everyone else. We do not _work_ for them. We live _for_ them."

Fenna cast her eyes down shyly.

"My name is Fenna."

"I don't have a name. I was born and raised in a grain refinery. They don't bother to give the children names."

She was absolutely shocked.

"No _name_?"

"No. And I bet you hardly anyone here has one, either." She fiddled with her chains.

No name. No name…It was the basis of identity, yet she didn't have any.

They sat in the cold darkness for what seemed like hours until the man and his son came in carrying a vat of gruel. They were followed by a large mob of slaves, the ones that had been working on the fields all this time. They also filled a trough that Fenna hadn't noticed. Beside it handing on the wall were about twenty tin cups.

Immediately, just like Darga's, (except much bigger and much more frenzied) a flood of slaves flew to the vat the instant it was set down. Fenna managed to get a large handful, and she ran out of the crowd and sat down by the wall, eating from her glob.

Something snagged her attention. An olive skinned boy was shoved out of the crowd, onto the ground. His messy hair was temporarily preventing him from sight. In an instant Kilek was back on his feet and shoving in again.

"Move it!" She heard someone shout. Then the sharp note of metal clashing together hit the air. She saw another boy, who had his wrist chain around Kilek's neck, and who was flinging him away. Kilek whirled on his heels and jumped at the opponent. There was a scramble, and some shoving, but the other boy was bigger and so the result was probable.

Kilek lay on the floor, outside of the mob, moaning and rubbing his neck.

Fenna ran to his side.

"Are you okay!"

He coughed.

"Here, have some of mine. You don't have to get in the way of that jerk."

She gave him half her lump of food.

"Th-thanks." He murmured while she helped him up. "I'll have to remember that trick.." He said with a bit of a smile, and looking at his own wrist chains.

She noticed there were quite a _few _fights going on…

After a while the huddles resumed. And the temperature dropped. Fenna was not used to such a very cold building, because Darga's house (with the hot stove inside) was attached. Nights in the badlands were quite cold, she knew; but this was the first real one for her.

She shuffled over to the huddle of people they were sold with. This time there were no friendly faces. Fenna tried to squeeze into a wall of backs, but someone pushed her away.

"What, your fancy outfit doesn't keep you warm enough?" A bald guy sneered, turning around.

_Sorry sir, this outfit is made out of paper thin cotton and couldn't make me colder if I was in the desert sun._

Fenna tried the other huddle, of the original residents, only to find the same results. Cuddling up against a line of frosty backs didn't help at all.

So the very weary girl decided to curl up in the corner and hope that no one would bother her. Unfortunately, there were no available corners…except one.

He had obviously recieved the same treatment from the ragged slaves. Kilek sat in the corner, a miserable look on his face when he looked up.

"Can I, er…sit…" She tried to find the right thing to say.

_I don't think 'Can I sleep with you' would work well for this._

"Can you sleep beside me?" He said with a lopsided grin.

"Er…Yeah I guess that's it.."

"I _suppose_." He said teasingly.

Fenna plopped down beside Kilek. Though it made her skin crawl to be so close to him, at least it was better than trying to get some warmth on the outskirts of a huddle.

"So, they nailed you on your outfit, too?" he asked rubbing his eye.

"Yes. But I don't think it will stay nicely pressed for _long_."

"Well. Maybe that's a good thing." He sighed.

_What was THAT supposed to mean!_

"Whatever. Goodnight Idiot."

"Goodnight Fencepost."

She slept easily, and deeply.

When Fenna woke that morning she did not want to open her eyes. The room was nice and quiet. She was too comfortable and too warm to get up. Wait a second…_warm_?

Fenna's eyelids snapped open. She now she knew why she was so cozy. She and Kilek were VERY close together. _Too_ close together. His arms were wrapped around her back and she was resting her head on his shoulder.

She pulled away very lightly. That made him wake up. His drowsiness was instantly wiped away when he saw.

""_GAH_!""

They leapt away from each other like repelling magnets. Luckily, everyone else was still asleep. The bolted door opened just then.

"Everyone up!" Screamed the hooked nose man. "We're cuttin' grass tehday!"

Sleepy slaves rose from everywhere and started out the door.

"Wait. You, and you." He pulled Fenna and the pervert aside. "What are you doing with those outfits on? Are you actually slaves?"

"Yes, sir." Fenna said.

"Well wha'er you doing wearin' such fine cloth, eh?"

"We-

"You had better come with me."

He dragged then by the chains out back, where in a open shed there was a pile of raggish clothing.

"Pick somethin out. Then you'll give me your green things."

_Wh…what, does this old bastard honestly expect me to change right out here?_

"Hurry up, we got a lot of work to do today."

She tried to find the cleanest rag possible. (A/N: Ironic, I know. Woah I never do author notes…w00t! First one:D)

She tiptoed around the side of the shed where, hopefully, it wasn't as easy to see.

Now in some old slave clothes, she handed her beloved green uniform to the ugly man. So did Kilek.

As they were catching up to the other workers, Kilek turned to Fenna.

"What in the world do you think you were doing?" He growled.

"Me? YOU were the one in an _embrace_!"

"Not that you didn't look perfectly at home all snuggled up!"

"_Excuse_ me?"

"Yes! You heard what I said!"

She scoffed harshly and wrinkled her nose. "If I EVER touch _you _again It'll be too soon!"

"Well that's _fine_ with me!"

She turned her back to him and shuddered.

_This day can not get any worse._

They were all given scythes and put to work cutting some low-grade grass from a big field. All day Fenna toiled, following behind a small group of chatty ladies. She learned it was much harder to do farm work with chains. When at last the sun went down, they were called in.

Fedding frenzy went as usual. Fights erupted, she got a share, and then everything calmed down. This time the idiot was nowhere to be seen.

Fenna collapsed on the floor, and lay there until it got too cold to do so. Then she joined the outskirts of a huddle and slept.

For about a week it was hard work on the fields. Then one night, while huddled against the wall, she remembered something.

_The ancient language book! It was In the pocket of the uniform!_

"Ugh, I'm such a dummy…" She smacked herself in the forehead.

"I agree." Said the voice behind her.

"No time for jokes, I left _the book_ in my pocket!" Fenna said, fiercley locking eyes with Kilek.

"Who said I was joking?" He smirked.

"Really. I have to get it before he sells it or something!"

"Okay. Have fun." He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

"You really are the biggest jerk ever."

He opened his almond eyes just a slit.

"How do you plan to _get out_ of here exactly?"

"Easy. See that crack?" She pointed to the crack high up on the barn wall, the only provider of light. "I can climb that wall and slip through the space."

"By yourself? _Yeah. _Righ_t_."

"Well if I can't find it, I guess we won't get it back then."

"What's the _point_ of getting it back? We will never see the Zuleban Manor again, let alone the trapdoor."

"Who says we can't just run away?"

This wiped the smile off his face.

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I can."

"Fine. But when we get caught, you say it's _your_ fault."

Fenna scrambled up the wood, trying to find little cracks she could stick her fingers in. But the old wood proved to be too smooth, and she had to slide back down.

"Drat…how will we get _up_ there?" Fenna whispered, trying not to wake the sleeping huddles.

"We need a rope of some sort.." Kilek said, his eyes wandering.

"See any ropes, _dufus_?"

"No, but we could tie our clothes together and-

"No." Fenna said very bluntly.

_Just when I thought he could not get any more perverted._

"What do _you_ suggest, then?"

"I suggest I stand on your shoulders."

"And how do I get up when you're done?"

"You don't. You didn't even want to come, remember?"

"Okay, how will you get back _inside_?"

She was silent.

"I thought so."

"Well then _what _are we going to do?" Fenna said hotly.

"Wait…I have a plan!"

Kilek stood over by the crack.

"Climb on my shoulders."

"You _just _said this wouldn't work!"

"No. I have an idea."

Suddenly a person shifted right beside them. Their whispers were now barely audible.

"Okay. You go and hook your legs through the other side, then grab my hands and pull me up. While I'm hanging on you'll jump down and then I'll climb up and jump down."

"Okay…"

Okay, she _sort_ of got it.

Fenna tried to keep balance on his bony shoulders.

"Hurry! You're heavy!" He grunted.

Ignoring the insult, she snatched the ledge of the hole and scrabbled up. Then she hooked her legs on the other side, flipped upside down, and grabbed his hands. This was the tough part. Fenna struggled the pull the boy up, and around halfway her leg slipped and she went through the hole completely and landed on the hard earth on the other side.

Unfortunately for Kilek, he was still holding her hands.

"Ooooohhhh…"

Was all her aching body could muster. The wind was knocked out. Fire was throbbing in her left ankle, which had hit first. And it didn't help to have someone sprawled on top of you, either.

"My chest…it hurts so much…" He moaned, his other arm draped over his shoulder.

"Get…off…ofme.." Fenna gasped.

He slowly rolled up.

"I think I broke my collarbone…" Kilek winced.

"I think you almost killed me." She said, breathing normally again. She sat up and felt her ankle. It wasn't broken, but it hung off at a very strange angle.

"Well. Lets go." He said, struggling to his feet.

"I don't think I can walk." Said Fenna. Already she could see dark, purple bruises forming.

"Well, try to."

She got up on one foot, and carefully put some weight on the other. Explosive pain went through it.

"Here." Kilek extended his good arm.

She took it gratefully and limped closer.

"I guess it's been too soon," He said, with almost a smile.

"Heh.." She remembered her words from this morning.

"I don't think we're in good condition for a stake out…" He murmured.

"Neither. But I also don't think we're in a good condition to get back inside." A cold chill went through her as she said this.

_What will the masters do!_

"Oh. Crap." Kilek said. "Someone's coming.

Indeed, there were footsteps getting closer. Then the younger man rounded the corner, his face read and angry when he spotted them.

"Get over here!" He growled.

They limped/shuffled as fast as they could. Fenna could hear Kilek grunting in pain when she had to put weight on him.

"Sir, we were just- She began.

"Off on a _romantic_ escape are you?" He said, his eyes cold. "Well don't you worry. You'll get your time alone." Snatching a chain in each hand, he dragged them around behind the building where the tool and woodsheds were. Both Fenna and Kilek were practically bawling.

"In here!" He said, pushing them in the wood shed. "And maybe next time you will think twice before going on a getaway."

The door was slammed. And the shed plunged into pitch black.

From outside:

"Don't worry pa! It was just a couple of the youngin's. Ts'all looked after."

"Great. Lets get some sleep."

Fenna could not see a thing. This shed was new, and had no cracks to let the moonlight in.

But she could hear. And she heard the labored breathing of Kilek beside her.

"How bad is it?"

"Really bad."

"I'm sorry. If I wasn't so hasty this wouldn't have happened."

"It also wouldn't have happened if you didn't slip."

"Do you have to ruin everything!"

"…Yes."


	6. Confinement

Disclaimer: REVIEW PLEEEEAASE! There are like 220 hits for this…which means lotsa people are reading but no one is reviewing. If you hate it, fine send me a review telling me all the things you don't like. I can learn from criticism! And currently I have a grand total of….wait for it…..2 reviews! So send me them now, I need them. Desperately!

Well It took me like 15 minutes to read that last one from start to finish…lol not TOO long. Then again I read almost 600 wpm…Well Hope you enjoyed it. And yes, the mushy gushy crap WILL come, but later. Patience is a virtue! (Unless you hate fluff) Oh yeah…theres a bit of it in this chap as well, but…yeah okay you just want to read it so I'll shut up now! (Oh yeah, I don't own Eragon…that's Paolini's business!)

**Chapter 6: Living in the Shed**

Kilek lay on a stack of wood, trying to concentrate on anything other than the pain in his left side collarbone. So he concentrated on how it happened.

First, it was slammed on the wall. Then, he fell on it. Then he heard it crack, and _then _the hawk man opened the break by pulling on it. Wow.

"When do you think they'll let us out?" Said Fenna quietly. The tiniest sliver of light was coming from a knot in a board. He could see her eyes wide with worry.

"Who knows…" He replied. If things had not been awkward before, they were awkward now.

Every breath brought on a fresh wave of pain. Even the slightest movement was torture. So he decided to sit and not move.

It took a few hours for the sun to rise, and when it did they could hear the slaves outside working away. But the shed was still quite dark, and now was getting stuffy. It was a dreary lull of dozing off and staring into space until Fenna interrupted.

"Kilek."

"What!"

"You are covered in sweat. Are you feeling alright?"

He hadn't noticed.

"Yeah, I'm…fine." He wished she would shut up and leave him alone.

"Don't you think you should make a brace for your collarbone?"

"No, no…It's fine."

As a matter of fact, it was not fine. But soon the pain would subside.

Hours passed. They said nothing to each other.

_She's too embarrassed to speak with me._

Fenna was simply lying on her stack of wood, dozing off or staring into space.

It was now well passed mid day. The shed was warm from the sun. Footsteps were heard from outside, passing back and fourth. But it was summer, and no one needed wood.

More hours passed. Kilek's mouth was very dry now. And his stomach was twisting with hunger.

He decided to break the long silence.

"I am so hungry I would eat just about _anything_ right now."

"When will they let us out?" Fenna asked quietly, her voice rasped.

"I'm sure soon. Probably after supper." He wished he could believe his own words.

They waited. And waited. It was now dark, and many voices could be heard outside. The slaves were coming in to be fed.

After a while it was very quiet.

"They should come for us soon," Said Kilek hopefully.

But 'they' never did. The chilly air told him it was past supper. Fenna was sleeping, shivering every now and again.

They had not got food or water for over 12 hours.

Normally by now he would have to relieve himself. But since there was nothing in him, nothing could come out. Instead, painful convulsions were occurring now and again, straining to digest what was not there. And as time went on, the temperature went down.

Also a normality was the fact that the building where the slaves slept was filled with warm bodies. This _shack_ was _not_. So the temperature difference was inevitable, and it was _also_ quite noticeable.

_You'd think a place in a warm climate would be warm._

(A/N: Just to let you guys know, a desert actually does get extremely cold at night.)

So far the detestation of Fenna had grown to indifference. And now it was progressing into a very _slight_ interest.

Suddenly she woke with a start. And he realized he'd been staring at her for a while.

_Jeez…_

"Gosh, it's cold!" She crossed her arms and sat up.

"Maybe there's some old sacs in here somewhere we can use for blankets."

"Hmm." She eyed him, noticing he wasn't planning on getting any.

Fenna took a survey of the room, peeking around and into the shelves. She stood up, hobbled over to one and pulled out two large potatoe sacks.

"Here." She tossed one to him, and snuggled into a corner with her own.

He delicately wrapped himself with the dirty old bag, and sat in the opposite corner.

Morning came . Small bits of sunlight leaked into the shack.

"They will come today." Said Kilek hoarsely, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Fenna sighed quietly, and closed her eyes for a moment.

Hours and more hours passed. They said nothing to each other, just lay in the corners under the sacks, too weak to remove them. The day was a monotonous lull until something happened.

The sun was being blocked out, though it was still mid day. Thunder was rumbling outside.

_It's a summer monsoon! _He thought, not bothering to use the energy and say it aloud.

The thunder was getting louder. And soon t was being preceded with flashes of bright white light. Then it came so close that the ground was nearly shaking.

And then the water came. It pelted the building like pebbles poured onto sheet metal. And it seeped through the cheap wood, soon dripping onto the wood and floor.

The baseboards were being flooded with water. A rank and moist smell rose.

Water was pouring on his head in a steady stream. Then, he decided to quench his thirst. Kilek tilted his neck backwards and opened his mouth, letting the water dribble in. He drank as it dripped.

The sweet liquid was deeply satisfying. It ran down his sore throat and into his empty stomach, filling it with satisfying weight.

Fenna was doing the same when he looked over. Wait…_why_ was he looking over, exactly? He ripped his attention back to task. But every time he tried to look away his mind would drift back to her. Her long, smooth hair that was the same shade as an otter's fur as it swims in the water. Rippling brown silk…

_Rippling brown…what?_

_Concentrate, boy! Pull yourself together!_

He screamed at himself in his head. And then he felt an icy trickle run down his neck.

"Agggpph!" He had been so absorbed in his thoughts he had forgotten to swallow the water and it was overflowing his mouth. And now, a freezing cold splash of liquid was soaking into his clothes.

"Something wrong?" Asked Fenna quietly, wiping her mouth.

_No...no...don't look at her!_

But he did. And suddenly his tongue was in a knot.

"I..yeah, well…you see, I…"

She gave him a weird look.

_Those eyes…Ahhhh!_

"What's with _you_?"

_Spit it out!_

"Noth…" His throat stopped working in mid sentence.

"Well, you might want to dry yourself off, for starters." She said, her voice raspy.

He nodded his head and dabbeded his shirt with his potato sack. (Only to remember the broken collarbone…)

"Eeeeh!" he winced with pain.

"You are so stupid! You need to be careful, duh!"

_Don't look. Don't look!_

"I know _that_. I just haven't made a splint yet." He snapped.

_Wow! It made sense!_

So he set to work on a splint, getting a bit of wood from a pile and tearing off some cloth from his tunic. He tried to lift his other arm up, only to be submerged in pain.

Fenna glanced at him but didn't say anything.

_Oh no! Maybe she's mad at me! Wait…what do I care if she's mad at me! I think I'm going mental! _

He carefully rest the wood beneath the broken bone, ignoring the inferno of pain when he shifted the two parts into place.

Tying the cloth behind his back was the challenge. He had no use of his left arm, so it was a pretty useless attempt. Suddenly he heard giggling.

"If you find it so funny then why don't you _help_ me?" He snarled.

"Okay, fine." She said, still trying to stifle her laughter. Kilek tried his best not to look at her. But when her hand grazed his body, suddenly he went tense.

"Did that hurt you?" She asked, gathering the fabric ends.

"Yeah, a little…" He lied.

She tied the ends tightly in a bow and went back to her spot. She caught his slight blush.

They did nothing for the rest of the day but drink the dripping water and listen to the drumming of the rain on the roof, as the storm slowly ebbed.


	7. A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or any of it's affiliates. Well I had a wonderful dream last night….I feel inspired to write. Oh yeah we got this new mouse, its so cool! It's cordless! A little more sensitive than normal mice, but, I got used to it pretty quickly. You guys should get one, they are way better than normal mice! Anyways, this chapter is a bit different from the others. AND more…romantic. Sortof. It is romantic in an…indirect way. Hard to explain. You will understand D

**Chapter 7: A Sheep in Wolf's clothing**

It was the sixth day. No energy. She could scarcely breathe. All she could do was close her eyes and hope he would come….hope they would come…

"_Whats wrong? Fenna? Fenna!_"

Came the vaguely familiar voice. It was far away, in another world. It sounded urgent.

"_Wake up!" You must wake up!" _

It was faint, like a candle in the middle of a dark wood.

She couldn't decipher the words any longer. They were fading away, growing quieter. The swirling light was growing dimmer and dimmer, until at last it faded to black.

Kilek shook her. Her eyelids merely fluttered, then settled. She was no longer responding to his voice.

"Wake UP!" He yelled in her ear. But nothing happened. Fenna just lay there, still and quiet. Suddenly, cold panic overtook him.

He put his ear to her chest. The steady beat of her heart told him she was still alive. But her shallow breaths came at long intervals.

Yesterday they had tried eating the bark off the wood. It worked, but mot of the split wood had no bark, and they ran out fairly soon. Only a few flakes remained.

He grabbed all of them, and tilted her head up on his knee. Carefully, he placed a strip of bark in her mouth and closed her jaw.

Nothing happened.

He tried again, this time with a smaller piece.

Still, she did not move.

"C'mon, chew! Its not that hard!" he yelled at the unconscious girl. Her head tilted a bit to the side.

"Okay, water. Maybe that's more important…yes, water."

He grabbed the dusty jar they used to collect rainwater in the day before and tilted a few drops into her mouth. Her tongue moved a bit.

This time a bit more. She didn't move, but she also didn't choke. A little more again, this time it was a full fledged swallow.

"Fenna! Can you hear me?"

A whisper of breath came from her throat.

"Fenna!" He shook her. Her eyelids fluttered weakly. "Fenna wake up!" Her breathing quickened, and her back muscles lurched.

"H-have…they come…" She said, dreamily.

"No."

"Oh." Her breath seemed to leave her in a weak puff.

"Stay with me!" her head rolled to the side. And her whole body went slack.

"Fenna! Come on! Don't joke with me here!" He yelled, getting scared again. _Why_ was he scared? Was he afraid she would die? Impossible. Kilek didn't even care about her. Then why was he fighting back _tears_?

"No! Wake up!" He said, shaking her again. "Fe-…Fenna.." He gazed into her unconscious face and began to feel an overwhelming sense of grief. A drop of water ran from his eye and dropped onto his broken shoulder.

"Please don't die."

She was warm. And comfortable. Fenna was walking through the garden in the Zuleban manor. It was completely silent. Dappled light filtered by the trees obscured the pavement. And the scent of spring apple blossoms wafted throughout. There was an old lady sitting by the well, whom she had never seen before. She was hunched over, Fenna couldn't see her face. But she was wearing a chrocheed green shawl over a strange, exotic dress made of orange silk and red beads and thread. Her feet were bare.

"Who are you?" Fenna asked her.

"I am of no importance."

"What are you doing here, you are trespassing!"

"No, I am not. I am here to tell you something."

"What?"

"Your quest to open the wooden door must continue."

"Why?"

"You will find out later."

"How do you know about my quest?"

"It doesn't matter right now. Your body is getting weaker as we speak."

"But…"She was speechless.

"If you don't return to it soon, you may be separated from it. Now _go_, Kilek is waiting for you."

"_Wha_?" How did she know about Kilek?

The misty sunlight grew into a thick fog, and suddenly everything faded away.

She woke slowly, and realized she was having trouble breathing, in fact, something was constricting her, in a heavy vicegrip.

"Ugh!" She grunted, opening her eyes and seeing the thing that held her so.

It was him. She could feel quivering arms tied around her back, and she was being held to his front like a baby with its mother.

"Kilek…I can't breathe…" She said, with her head against his good shoulder.

"Fe…Fenna?" His grip suddenly loosened. He took her by the shoulders and straightened to face her. His eyes were wide with surprise.

Suddenly there was a clammor at the door. The bolt slid out of place, and the heavy wooden door swung outwards.

"Oh. Did we interrupt something here?"

Two silhouettes were outlined by blazing sunlight. When the shock of the brightness left and her eyes adjusted, Fenna could see two teenaged boys standing at the door. They looked to be about her age.

And then she realized the situation.

She turned back around to face Kilek. They were so close together their noses were almost touching. She could smell his woodchip breath and feel the heat radiating from his body. She was so close to him she could see her reflection in his eyes.

"Agh!"

"Ai!"

He jumped up and backed into the wall, blushing furiously.

Fenna tried to leap away, but ended up falling backwards over the woodpile and landing head first in the bucket of kindling and dry leaves. Her heart was pounding like a drumroll.

One of the boys cleared his throat, and eyeing the other, said "Ahem. Well, If we were interrupting you two, then-

"No! No that's fine!" Kilek cut in. "We've been stuck in here for almost five days."

"Why? Can't get _enough_ of each other?" Snickered the taller one.

"We tried to escape. And the guy caught us." Said Fenna irritably.

"Oh. Well in that case, we are here to rescue you. We heard some yelling and chatting coming from this shed. Figured Ulkava must have locked some misbehavers in again."

"And look at what we _found_!" Said the shorter one, grinning and opening his arms.

"It's not what it looks like, okay?" Said Kilek.

"Your cheeks tell me otherwise." Replied the taller one. Kilek and Fenna exchanged glances before sheepishly hanging their heads.

"Well no matter. We needn't pry, eh Vaz?

"Quite right. Now come with us, dear lovers. There are introductions to make."

Fenna dusted herself off and tried to walk. But her starved body responded otherwise. Knees buckling, she collapsed onto the log pile.

"I-I..I can't walk!" She cried, struggling to get up again. Then she remembered her broken ankle. An exasperated groan escaped her.

"How long exactly has it been since you two last ate?" Said the one called Vaz by his companion.

"Almost six days, not including bark and a bit of rainwater." Answered Kilek.

"Hide and hair! No wonder you can't walk!"

"No, it's not just that. I think I broke my ankle on the fall."

Vaz grimaced and extended an arm, which Fenna gladly accepted.

When outside, they were drenched with bright sunlight.

"I am Denflar. Just call me Den." Said the Taller one. He was quite skinny with bony shoulders and a mildly amused expression on his face. His eyes were almost black they were so dark, and his hair was a sandy brown color, short and straight.

"And I am Vazula, from a captured village in Surda. Just call me Vaz." Vaz had curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Like some of the other men, Vaz wore no shirt. She could see he had a couple of scars on his back from whips.

"I'm Fenna." She said solemnly, not able to think of anything else but food.

"I am Kilek," he said. "We both worked on a farm together for a few years, then got sold, then got sold again to _this_ miserable place."

"Ah. Love can never be separated." Said Vaz in a mocking dreamy voice.

His reply was a dark look from both of his onlookers.

Denflar cut in. "You're lucky, Kilek. Girls our age are rare on working farms. Most of them are snapped up by the textile factories.

Fenna lowered her head, letting her bangs obscure the view of her face.

"What happened to your shoulder?" Asked Denflar, pointing to the splint.

"Collarbone. Landed on it when we fell."

"Fell from what?"

"The big crack in the wall on the building here. Thought we could escape through that, but Fenna lost her grip and we fell."

She fumed on the inside.

_Excuse me? You were the one who wanted to go second!_

Vaz put his chains over his head and hung his arms to rest them. He smirked.

"Fell on top of _each other_, is what you meant."

Changing the subject, Den piped up.

"Lets get them some grub. These guys ought to be hungry."

Kilek shuffled along slowly. Fenna felt like her legs would give any second.

"Hurry up! The boss is gonna notice if we've been gone too long!"

Kilek quickened his pace, chains dragging along behind.

Fenna heaved tried to drag her bad leg. It was weighted down by an iron shackle, and a sharp pain came.

"Oh, for Kruuka's sake!"

Vaz stopped, walked back, and scooped her up in his arms.

"Hey!" She squealed, but didn't resist.

"Hope you don't mind, mate." He said while passing Kilek. "Gosh, girl, you're light as a feather!"

"There's nothing going on between us, okay! You just came in at a bad moment." Kilek growled.

"A bad moment, yes, when you were in a _full embrace_, about to kiss and-

Fenna slapped Vaz across the face.

"Ugh!" His teasing grin was wiped off.

"There is _nothing_ going on! I was waking up after being unconscious!"

"And _I_ thought she was _dead_." Added Kilek coldly.

"Oh."

"Shut up you guys. We don't want to attract attention." Said Den, turning around and ushering them towards a haystack by the entrance of the barn/slave building.

Fenna struggled her way out of Vaz's arms and landed on the grass, nearly collapsing.

From under the haystack he produced two nuggets of dried oatmeal.

"We have a stash under here. Good idea to save a bit at every meal for later, in case…well in case we find two starving people in a shack."

Fenna wolfed hers down, eager for more. It was crispy and chewy, and not too tasty, but to her it was like the finest blackberry pudding after six days of living on bark.

"More!" She cried, eyes eager.

"No. We should save the rest for breakfast tomorrow." Advised Den.

"Now come on, we have to get back to watering the turnips, or we are dead meat." Said Vaz, ushering everyone towards the field.

The group scampered out to the turnip patch, near the fence on the western edge of the property. Fenna insisted she could walk herself, but failed miserably. It was another trip with Vaz carrying her.

At the end of the day, they dragged themselves back to the slave building, where most of the other ones were by now. This time Den carried Fenna. When they got there, she tried not to move her ankle, which was developing dark bruising.

"Sorry Kilek, I'd let _you_ do it, but you got a busted collarbone."

"Supper time, guys," Said Vaz suddenly. Fenna snapped to attention at the word.

The doors creaked open and the cook came in, bearing the usual pot of gruel.

The instant he set it down, all bodies in the building rushed for it.

Fenna had to wait behind for the others to bring her some. Soon Den and Kilek came back with theirs, and then Vaz, with an exceptionally large hunk.

She hated being so helpless.

"Here's my breakfast for the next little while." Said Vaz, after giving Fenna some gruel. He rolled the rest all into a ball, and set it on the floor.

Fenna made sure to save a little bit of her own.

With a full stomach at last, she felt sleepy and tired. The building was quieting down. People were finishing up their scraps of food and settling down.

Sleep was taking her.

"Kilek! Come on." Den patted the space beside Fenna. Kilek was sitting across from them. He looked at Den with disgust.

"How many times do we have to –

"Come on. If you don't want to, I'll _gladly_ take your spot!"

Kilek said nothing. So Den sat down and Vaz squeezed in and closed the huddle.

"It's a lot more cozy with you two here." He snickered.

For a reply he got a light punch from Den. "Shut up."

Morning came, bleak and dark. Fenna could actually feel strength in her limbs. Not too shortly after they woke, the hook-nosed man emerged from the outside and pushed them out. It was harvesting time for the Corn.

The four youngsters stayed closely together. And of course, snuck around the side for a quick bite to eat, and for Vaz to store his surplus of porridge.

"We can only carry you when the hawkbeak and his son are gone. An injured slave is a useless slave." Explained Vaz as they were heading towards the cornfield.

"What would they do with me?" She asked, trying not to sound worried.

"Sell you at the market for half price to the textile factory, where you sit all day long on your butt at the loom making cloth."

She was quiet, listening to the jangle of the chains around her ankles clink against each other.

When they reached the cornfield, Kilek found a stick, and together with the others they built a makeshift splint out of grass and corn leaves.

Then they set to work, trying to look inconspicuous.

Picking basket after basket of corn ears was hard and exhausting work. The stalks were high, and in order to get the vegetable, it was necessary to reach upwards. After hours and hundreds of basket loads, the sun was set and picking was no longer an option. Even Ulkava the beak nose could not keep them out longer.

This time it was Den's turn to carry Fenna until they lost cover of the fields. Then she would walk, trying to look normal but clinging onto someone's arm.

"Why so glum, Kilek my boy?" Asked Vaz. "Is it because you cannot carry your lovely girl? You cannot be close to her and smell her hair and feel the warmth of her skin?"

Kilek said nothing. In fact, he looked like he was about to explode.

Her face flushed. She had never been called 'lovely' before.

Den saw and grinned.

"You have no need to worry about us. She loves you back Kilek. Just look at her blushing!"

She avoided eye contact with him when he looked.

"Aw, comeon. I think we should give 'em a break don't you?" Said Vaz, smiling broadly.

"Yes, yes. For now at least." Said Den, winking. "Hey, we took them under our wing, didn't we? There's no harm in a little humor."

_Yes, but there is in a lot of humor._

"All right. Time to unload."

Denflar set Fenna down gently at the edge of the fruit orchard. There they walked (and Fenna limpedas subtly as possible) back to their night-prison. And, the schedule followed as usual until they went to sleep.

And so the weeks crawled by. Corn season was coming to a close, and Kilek's collarbone was healing well. But Fenna's broken ankle wasn't. Exactly. She could walk fine alone now, with no help. But longer distances and accidents had it swelling and throbbing. Though the bruising was slowly going away, the bone hadn't set yet. And if anything, the pain was getting worse.

One day they were clearing dead corn stocks. Fenna tripped, and her foot was turned. She was on the ground, with clenched teeth and breaking into a sweat.

"Fenna!" cried Den. He called the other two over, who were working in the same area.

The splint was ruined. And the freshly tightened corn leaves had creases in them.

"We need to get her to a healer." Was all Den could say, being the eldest.

"Oh yeah and we can just go up and find one here." Snapped Kilek.

"No."

"Then why did you suggest something stupid like that?"

"Because it was about time we broke out of this dump." His expression was serious.

"AH!" Fenna gasped with pain.

"Okay. Here's the plan, it's quite simple. We wait till sundown in the cornfield and go when it gets _really_ dark. They will never see us." Den continued.

"No, but their dogs will." Muttered Vaz, rubbing his behind.

"So? If we are quiet enough, not even the guard dogs can see us. But we will have to be very careful."

"Don't forget," Said Kilek, "That it's at least a half league to Helgrind."

"So, we can carry Fenna between the three of us now. Your bone ought to be nice and strong by now, Kilek. You haven't worn the splint for at least a week and a half."

"And food?"

"We will bring all our extra porridge."

Vaz sighed. "So it's a plan. Now, it's almost time to go in, pretend you're collecting the last bits of corn and about to hurry in."

They did just that. And when everyone was heading in, they hid in the hedge separating the strawberry field from the potato field.

And they waited.

They waited until it was almost pitch black before they came out. Vaz took Fenna piggy-back style, and together the three figures dashed out towards the quiet barn. At the stack of hay, they dug out their porridge balls where they were kept safe from rats.

And ever so quietly, as to not rouse the sleeping dogs, they tiptoed past the house. Then, something caught Fenna's eye.

The pair of green outfits sat, folded, on a dresser in front of the window.

"Kilek!" She hissed. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Look in the window."

He gazed over, and saw instantly.

"I'm not getting it."

"Yes, you _are_."


	8. Break Out

Disclaimer: OMIGOSH! The reviews I got were….beautiful! sniff sniff yes, I have quite a few spelling errors, and I want to change a few minor things in the first two chapters. Now, to personally respond to each of those reviews that made my heart sing with joy: (And yes, I do like reviews so if you are reading this fic and haven't reviewed…do it! I ADORE reviews!) If you have already then don't feel shy…review again! Even if you have nothing to say I don't care just review!

A review per chapter would be excellent.

Everyone put me on your author alert list, Okay? Then you know when I've updated!

Memyselfandi-Well, scince you are anonymous I can't look at your profile. But thanks! You are my first reviewer ever! I'm glad you liked the prank war, because I had to retype it about 4 times. Yes, I will keep up the work…whether it's good or not is up to you!

PhantomPhluter-Thanks! And you're welcome…I guess…lol…well review again I want hear your (and everyone's) opinion on how the story is moving along.

Du Weldenvarden Farcai- Yes, getting practically no reviews sucks. But my reviews are all very positive, which is VERY good! I loooove your name. Hehehe…I'll update soon. You seem very eager to have more! Which is good!

IloveDracula- Wow…I…wow. That alone made me feel like I could just reach up and conquer the world! I am so happy to hear that, it makes me feel excellent. Me feeling goodmore chaptersfaster. I am so glad you think my writing is great. If everyone in the world gave such great reviews as you, well…I don't know. But there would be LOTS of VERY happy authors!

Strike of Shadow- Aw, shucks. Yes, I would love it if I had more reviews, bit if I did I wouldn't be able to give personal replies, now would I? Yes, I am glad you think the plot is good. Just wait for what I have in store here.

SithSlayerBB-Wow you are very lucky. I was JUST about to put this chapter up when I saw I had 13 reviews. I went, hmmm…I only had seven before! So I looked and woah! You gave me six nice reviews. Thank you very much! So I couldn't just neglect you, I had to put it a dedication. And yeah, I have tons of mistakes, and I'm working on it. I always say beasts of baron…I don't know why. P 

And for the record, I was planning on killing someone at the end, but now…no. I don't think I will. It would be too sad and everyone would hate me! And, there is a clue already in the story about the wooden door, but y'all will have to go back and read some more. It's not hidden actually, its pretty obvious, and..yeah never mind.

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ALL MY REVIEWERS SO FAR. REVIEWS MAKE THE WORLD GO 'ROUND!

**Chapter 8: Break Out**

Defeated, Kilek was tiptoeing up to the door. Ulkava had forgotten to close the latch. Luck? No. If it _was_ locked, they could have been on their merry way. He held his leg chains in one hand off the ground, so they wouldn't clink ad make noise.

Ever so quietly, he opened the door and crept inside. It was pitch dark except for a feeble moonlight leaking in through the small window. The main foyer was grand and airy, and a staircase led up to the second floor. He could see dark squares on the wall, paintings that he couldn't make out in the dark. Four of five doors led away from the room.

He snuck around to the bench they had by the wall. Under it were several pairs of shoes. And, on top of the bench were the folded green outfits. Obviously Master Ulkava had planned on putting them away, but never got to it. Gently, he slipped his hand in one of the pockets and pulled out a wad of paper. No. He tried the other pocket, and, yes! The tattered book of ancient languages was in his hand. Who would have thought it would be this easy?

He snuck out and closed the door as quietly as possible.

"Get it?" Asked Fenna, her eyes keen.

"Yes."

"Good, let's go."

They snuck along single file, leg chains in hand. Vaz was in front of him, carrying Fenna.

_Why don't I ever carry her for once? Better yet, why can't she walk by herself? That ankle has been healing for weeks! It should be fine by now!_

The answer was simple. She _liked_ Vaz. What was so special about _him_? Besides his sunshine hair and blazing blue eyes, good physique and sense of humor… Okay. Maybe he was good _looking_. He shouldn't blame Fenna for liking him. But what was it about Vazula that was better than Kilek?

_I can do everything he does, and better! But if I offer to carry Fenna for a while she will think I really do like her! If I don't offer she will think I am avoiding her on purpose! _

There was really no choice. Either way, Vaz and Den would still tease him to death.

His thoughts were interrupted. They were at the gate.

"Okay, be very careful, it creaks!" Whispered Denflar.

"Why don't we climb through the poles?" Kilek suggested.

"Okay. But if you crack the dead scrub that grows by it, the dogs will have us."

He looked over nervously at the huddle of sleeping canines. They lay behind the house. Ready to spring up at the slightest sound.

Lithely, Kilek slipped between the wooden poles in the fence, taking care to lift his ankle chains over the bar, stepped as softly as he could on the other side. The others did so as well, Fenna dismounting. Then they assembled once more and slinked into the ditch, where they ran down the road as far and fast as they could. The road was completely straight for a long stretch, then took a right and kept going.

They ran all night, stopping to rest now and again. Vaz insisted he was fine and piggy backed Fenna the whole way.

When it started to get lighter, they hid in a clump of trees along the side of the road and threw themselves down for sleep.

Vaz chose a spot right beside Fenna. Not that he cared.

Kilek quickly drifted off.

He slept until night had fallen, until Den roused him awake. They had a quick bite to eat and then climbed into the ditch.

"Alright Kilek. I think it's your turn," Said Vaz with a wink.

Fenna seemed reluctant at first. She wanted to go with Vaz.

Having Fenna so close made him feel queasy. Something inside him told him that she was stupid, disgusting…an archenemy. But a strange new feeling was emerging. Something he didn't think could ever be felt for Fenna. An interest, a positive perception…a…desire. It had been growing stronger. But why for her? She was not very interesting. She was just a plain old girl who liked to do farm chores and eat porridge. Then why was he so embarrassed when Vaz and Den teased him about her? Why did he always flush red? And more importantly…why did _she_?

While they started jogging along, he felt her grip around his neck tighten. It made his collarbone twinge, but also sent a shiver up his spine.

The chilly air had less bite when there was a warm body close by.

It was a few hours before something happened. A lantern was flickering in the distance.

"Hit the dirt!" hissed Vaz. Everyone crouched down into the recesses of the ditch.

They waited until the peddler and his trolley were well out of sight before creeping along again.

It wasn't long after that when the girl on his back fell asleep. She rested her head on his shoulder, nodded asleep by the steady side to side motions.

Another lantern appeared on the horizon. No, a _group_ of lanterns. Again they hid, quiet and still.

A group of night patrol soldiers were riding by on horses. One of them reined his in.

"What was that?"

"Never mind, Lornd. Probably just another rabbit."

(A/N: Kay I just deleted about 4 pages of writing. Originally I planned to have them get caught and yeah…but that was pointless and would take it waaaay off the plot line.)

A silent wave of relief swept over the group. They waited until the soldiers disappeared before continuing.

They stopped a few hours before sunrise. The walls of Helgrind were in view.

"This is probably the last cluster of trees we will see," Said Den.

So they bedded down and slept, too tired to think or talk.

It was late evening when he woke up. The others were dozing peacefully, not about to wake up for another while.

He shook the body nearest his.

"What..?" Came Denflar's annoyed grunt.

"Wake the others. We have to get a plan together before dark.

They sat in a circle. Kilek looked from one sleepy and puzzled face to the next.

"Did you ever consider _how_ we would get into the gates?"

No one said a thing.

"Well, they most certainly won't let a gang of slaves just come and stroll in as they please."

"And? How do you plan to get us in, then, smarty-pants?" Said Fenna.

"Well, I haven't really thought of a good plan. But I do have an idea."

Silence.

"We kidnap a loner off the road, konk him out, and one of us dresses up in his clothes. Then one of us drags the rest of us along, and while we pretend to howl in despair they are yelling at us. The guards won't think twice."

"Alright." Said Vaz. "Who here can pass for an adult?"

"I can." Said Den. "I look the oldest."

"Okay. Let's go get ourselves a loner."

Everyone agreed, and they all crept by the side of the road. It was still not even sun-up, but a few early bird peddlers would be along soon.

A hooded man was coming along with some baskets of fruit. There was no one behind him for quite a ways.

"Go!" Den shouted as he walked by. They all pounced, landed on top of him, and wrestled him into the trees. He wouldn't stop shrieking until Vaz hit him over the head with a rock.

Then they realized it was actually a woman.

All three boys gazed at Fenna.

"I can't pass for an adult!"

Den scratched his head. "You're right. It will never work. But let us try it anyways."

She grumbled under her breath but said nothing.

"Just keep the hood up and you'll be fine," Said Kilek, pulling off the cape. They set to work peeling off all the rest of the garments down to the underwears. When finished, they rolled the lady into the woods where she could wake up later.

Ten minutes later, Fenna came from the trees dressed as the fruit seller. She looked no more than 16.

"No. No." Said Den. "You are too skinny. That woman was stout."

"What can we stuff the clothes with?" Said Vaz, thinking.

"Take off your shirt, Kilek." Ordered Den, removing his own.

"_What_?"

"Take off your shirt! We can use them to…fill out the dress."

Everyone laughed. They put both shirts on the front for a potbelly appearance.

"Now to hide the chains."

They managed it by putting the shirt on backwards; buttoning it up at the back, and having the chains go up the sleeves and across the chest. The leg chains were hidden by tying one side onto her good leg, and pulling the dress down to cover up the ankles so no one could see the dangling metal.

"Alright ma'am. You are bringing in a few slaves?"

"Yes, sir. My father wanted to sell these ones, since we got a new load last week."

"Very good. Say, aren't you a little _young_ to be expecting?"

"Err…_ expecting_, sir?"

_Expecting what? _

"Are you married?"

_Oh…_Kilek tried to stifle a laugh.

"Um…No.." She tried to hide her face.

The guard lowered his voice to a whisper. "You know who the father is, don't you?"

The three slaves behind her were in silent hysterics.

"Oh…uh…well, sir…I really don't think it is any of your business."

"You couldn't be more than sixteen. I doubt your parents know about this."

"Well, they don't…really…"

"Hmph. You should learn to control yourself. And, tell the father at least."

"Erm…yes sir."

"Hope it wasn't one of these rascals. Anyways, ma'am, you had better be on your way. Rest is best for both you _and_ the baby."

They shuffled (and limped) past, and when a good distance away, the three boys burst into howling laughter. Fenna wasn't impressed.

"_Rest is best for both you and the baby_!" Vaz mimicked teasingly.

Fenna stuffed her hand in the dress and yanked out the shirts, throwing them in his face.

Kilek grinned.

"Maybe we shouldn't have tried to make a potbelly after all!"

She flipped down the hood and scowled.

"Okay, okay. Fun's over. You guys should try and find some non-slave clothes."

These were obtained by knocking another person out, stashing them in a cellar, and raiding a clothing cart when the vendor bent down to take a drink.

Now they looked like peasants. And they could find a healer. A quick look at Fenna's ankle made everyone set on task.

It was sticking away at a strange angle, hanging from tendons alone.

"How can you possibly _stand_?" Said Vaz, open mouthed.

"With extreme difficulty," She replied sullenly.

"Well, come on. We haven't got much time." Added Den impatiently, scooping her up.

They scoured the marketplace, searching for a hut or cart or anyone selling herbs that might be knowledgeable in medicine.

He saw it. A small trolley with every kind of plant imaginable hanging from the top, or lying in stacks.

"Over there," he said to Den. Den sighted it and pulled the group together.

"You go with her, Kilek. If we are in a group they might suspect something. Say she is your sister."

"Fen does kinda look like you," Said Vaz, closing one eye and putting his fingers together.

_What! I look nothing like her. That is insulting! Why do I have to go, anyways! Denflar is such a big leader so why doesn't he go?_

"All right…" He took her carefully and started towards the cart, pushing past people and squeezing through other vendors.

The person standing behind the trolley was a young girl. She wore plum colored wrap dress. Her hair was black as coal, and covered her ears, in loose curls that went almost to her hips. Her eyes flitted up and watched Kilek as he came.

"Miss, I was wondering if-

"I'll go get my grandmother." She said sharply, locking eyes with him. Her gaze was unsettling. Up close, he could see her eyes were the color of a storm cloud, a dark, muttled grey. She had angled features, all of which were left in a monotonous expression.

She turned around and headed into the doorway behind, covered by a thin curtain. Almost immediately a woman emerged. She had the same gray eyes as her granddaughter. Her hair was hidden under s scarf wrapped around her head. She wore brightly colored skirts and a beaded shawl. Strange, crystal-like gems hung from her ears.

"Yes?" She asked, in the same malevolent manner.

"My sister has a broken ankle, I was wondering if you could help her."

"What do I look like to you, a doctor! I sell herbs, not bandages." She had claw-like hands, adorned with the same weird crystals as her earrings.

"Please, I-I mean _we_, have come a long way!"

"I don't care. If you are not here to buy herbs, then begone!"

His heart crumpled. So much for this idea.

He was turning and heading back to the others when a hand was clapped to his shoulder.

"Wait."

He turned around. It was the girl from the stand. "Maybe I can help you out."

"Really?" Fenna exclaimed.

"Shhh." She put a finger to her lips. "I can't be gone for long, or my grandmother will get suspicious."


	9. Search for the Wooden Door

Disclaimer: Okay I started this chapter on my friend's mac...hmmm...not quite used to the word processing on this thing but...I'll try! Forgive me if there are messed up paragraphs and other odd mistakes...Okay. There have been a few comments about wanting the romance to speed up. Well, i can tell you it WILL happen, and when it does...well, it will be very,very...romantic...erm...whatever. Well, here's a hint: they kiss in chapter 10. First they have to be all confused and stuff about their feelings, then confront them and then confront each other, etc. I'm not going to rush it just for the sake of you fluff lovers, okay? THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY THAN KISSING! heh...sigh.

Chapter 9: Search for the Wooden Door 

Fenna was eager to get out of Kilek's arms. It made her feel uneasy. Something weird was happening. She felt strange when she saw Kilek looking google-eyed at the creepy girl that ran up to them just now. Her stomach was clenched and she felt sort of..._mad_? What was it that made her dislike the girl so much? Suddenly a little thought popped up in her head.

You're Jealous!

_No no no way! Kilek is a stupid boy with messy hair and ...and..._

_And the deepest, most beautiful brown eyes you have ever seen!_

_What! How can I think that!_

Just then she felt about 20 times more awkward to be so close to him. _Him_. The person she tried not to think about.

She snapped to attention after she realized Kilek was shaking his arms as hard as he could, trying to get her to let go. She abruptly released her grip and dropped onto the stone street in the alley they were hiding out in.

"So you have a broken foot?" Said the girl, staring Fenna in the eye. Her grey eyes seemed to go past her into her mind, seeing right through to the brick wall behind.

"Ankle."

"Let me see."

She pulled up her dress to the knee. The girl's eyes grew wide with shock. It wasn't the wound that surprised her, though. She lightly touched the shackle. "You are a slave?" she asked quietly.

"We all are." Said Den.

"Then you know this is forbidden?"

They nodded their heads silently.

"You will still help me though, won't you?" asked Fenna.

"I will get arrested if I am caught." She said bluntly. A knot grew in Fenna's stomach.

"But I will help you. A break like this should have been mended right away."

She snuck back to the stand and brought to them a single bandage and a piece of stiff wood.

"This will not help me!" Fenna complained angrily.

"I can always take them back and _report_ you all to the authorities!" The girl snapped. Then, much more softly, "And my name is Afriila."

Fenna watched Kilek as Afriila braced her ankle and wrapped the bandage around it tightly. His eyes were fixed on her, watching her every move. It made Fenna angry to see him doing that. Just then he looked up and their eyes met. A warm rush flooded her face, and she quickly looked away.

"There. It should heal well now. as long as you don't walk on it too much."

"Hear that, Kilek! It's your lucky day!" Exclaimed Vazula. Afriila regarded him in a strange way.

"They are lovers, Afriila." Said Danflar, giving her a wink.

"Mmm. Yes. I have a question for you four."

"What?" They all said in unison.

"Why have you fled from your masters? _Why_ would you risk the danger of being caught and executed?"

Vaz answered for them. "Fen an' Kilek seem to think they've found something interesting in the backyard of their old masters. We just came along for the trip, because life on a farm working all day for next to no food wasn't exactly...stimulating."

Fen. Who said he could call her that?

"I see. Well good luck, I must be going. Come back if you need any help." She whirled around, and as she did her hair revealed the tip of her left ear. It was tapered into a point.

_What in the world?_

_Well obviously the boys hadn't noticed. Must have been my imagination..._

"Let's go find the place first. Then we'll come back and look for a place to sleep, alright?" Said Den, not really asking so much as telling.

Not too soon after the declaration, he and Vaz were forcing Fenna into Kilek's arms.

She knew there was no point resisting, as they would have their way no matter what. Kilek just stood by not saying anything.

"Why can't I at least piggyback instead?" She complained, hating the powerless feeling of dangling across his chest.

"Because we said so." Said Denflar with a smirk.

"And why do I get no say in the matter?" grumbled Kilek as they started walking through the crowds.

"I don't either," Fenna snapped.

"Well i'm the one lugging you around all the time, I should at least get a break once and a while."

"You think i enjoy being toted around by someone I hate?"

She felt him flinch lightly at the word.

"Not as if you are the lightest person I have ever met."

"Not as if you argue when they say you have to carry me."

(A/N: Sorry, I have to say this...OH SNAP!)

She looked up at him. He avoided eye contact with her.

From faint memory, the two directed the others and after six wrong turns eventually found the Zuleban manor. It looked the same as ever, except there was a new building along the side.

They needed accomidations for the new slaves...

They crept around to the side, looking through the fence into the garden. The trees were turning golden and red as fall was setting in. Soon it would be harvest season for all the farms in the countryside.

"It's around back," Said Kilek. "We will have to climb the fence."

"All in good time," Said Vaz. "For now, and I think we all agree, it is time to find a place to sleep.

They headed back to the marketplace, and found a dark alley to sleep in with a few other homeless people. Fenna leapt out of Kilek's arms and huddled into a corner. He shuffled away and sat down.

"Fenna You've hurt his feelings," said Vaz, taking her hand and trying to make her get up.

"I don't care." She said bitterly.

"Well, come on over when you're ready." With that he walked away and sat by the others.

It was a warm night. She curled up, not cold at all. After a long, dreamless sleep she woke.

"Finally awake!" Cried Den.

"Let's hop to it!" Said Vaz, helping her up. Something was strange, though. There was no ache in her ankle when she stood.

"Wait a second," She said. She sat down and felt her ankle. Not even a flitter of pain. Fenna unwrapped her bandages and gasped.

"What!" Asked Vaz, the closest.

"My…my…look!"

Her ankle was absolutely healed. The dark bruises were gone. The tendons and muscles had fallen back into place, and the bone was perfectly straight and strong as if it had never even been broken.

"Wow. That girl sure knows her stuff." Said Den, whistling.

"Can you walk on it?" Asked Kilek.

She got up and did a spin, hopped on it, skipped and cartwheeled before coming back.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Well, we've got no time to loose," Said Den.

Fenna was glad to be back on her feet, and especially glad not to have to be near Kilek. Things were getting too weird.

They found the manor easily enough, and seeing there was no one in the garden or near the stable climbed over the fence. However, when they reached the higher back fence, Fenna ran into trouble.

The boys easily made it down with their nicely fitted trousers, but as she slipped over, her skirts caught on the same spike they did last time, the one that was just a bit taller than the rest.

"Ack!" She squealed, struggling to pull the fabric off and stay on the fence at the same time.

"Don't worry Fenna! I've got you!" Said Vaz, trying to help her down.

But when she pulled it off and fell, he wasn't the one that caught her. In fact, no one…exactly _caught_ her.

"Aiiik!"

"Oof!"

Her eyes opened and were staring straight into _his_. His deep, mysterious eyes that seemed to go on forever. And ever. And _ever. _It almost distracted her from the pain off the drop.

He must have been stunned as well because he didn't move until Den started whistling.

(A/N: Aww so close.)

She got up and brushed herself off. Neither of them said anything. She tried to hide her red cheeks. Her heart was beating like a drumroll.

"So it's back here somewhere, is it?" Asked Vaz.

"Yes," Said Fenna quickly, trying to get her mind off of what just happened.

"Ah there it is," Said Kilek, rushing over to it.

"So why don't you just _break_ it open with an axe? Why bother with all of this code nonsense?" Said Vaz, knocking on it and hearing the hollow sound in return.

"Because," Said Fenna. "The wood is unbreakable. I'm not sure how they did it. But we couldn't get it open the first time, no matter how hard we tried."

Kilek nodded in agreement.

"Get the book."

Flashback…

_It was three years ago. She sat in a bumpy wagon beside some kid with scraggly black hair. She tapped his shoulder._

_"Hi my name's Fenna. What's yours?"_

_"Fenna? What a funny name. It sounds like fence post."_

_She frowned. She always thought hers was a nice name._

_"I just asked you what your name was. No need to be rude."_

_"Whatever. My name is Kilek, now go bother someone else, will ya?" he ran his ringers through his hair, and she got a look at his eyes. They were brown like the color of black tea. They seemed to go on and on._

_"You're not very nice. I don't think I'd like to make friends with you anyways." She pouted._

_"Well, you're not very smart. I told you to stop bothering me!"_

_"Fine!"_

_"Fine."_

End of flashback…

She situated herself in front of the tablet of wood. She pulled out the book of ancient languages and flipped through it, trying to find an alphabet that matched. She laughed inside. She still remembered those eyes from the first time they met.

There! The letters matched those carved into the wood.

"The…E…h…l…" She picked out the letters very slowly.

"Oh, give it to me." Said Kilek irritably. He snatched the book and continued. "The Ehluayn Alphabet."

(A/N: El-oo-wain)

"Now..to translate the text…" He regarded the symbols on the wood carefully. "Behind this door awaits something truly magic, something, for long, man hasn't had it; and only will you find its key, when you solve the riddles three."

_So it IS a trapdoor!_

"_What_ riddles?" Snorted Den.

"Shut up. There's another line…It is something true and pure, on wings it flies fast and sure. Its symbol is one from legends of old, from lost tales and stories told. To find it is not difficult, yet only with one thing can it be felt."

_Only with one thing can be felt? The hands obviously…_

"On wings? It must be a flying beast!" Said Vaz, thinking aloud.

"Dragons?" Suggested Den.

"No, can't be. Dragons aren't really _pure_." Interrupted Kilek.

"Sure they are."

"But they breath fire, and what about all those wars way back whenever?"

"Well what do you suggest, then?" Den said, getting a bit hotheaded.

"I don't know. But it's _not_ dragons. I mean, you can feel them with your hands. And it's obviously referring to something else."

_Guess not._

Fenna looked at the wood. The pictures beside the text. An eagle on one side, a horse on the other.

_What could it mean?_

Disclaimer: LYK OMIGOSH! What do YOU think the uber 'mysterious' thing is! Send me your ideas. Anyone (if anyone) gets it right, I'll make a minor character in the next chapter after you. Send me your name with tha review and yer guess!…Happy….hyper…


	10. Code Crackers

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or Alagaesia or dragons or leprechauns…lalalalala….Okay. Sorry about that chapter, it was a little rushed and pretty bad quality. But chapter 9 is an unimportant chapter. Oh and I know you guys are just dying to get to the fluffy-puffyness so I suppose I should put a sock in it now and get writing before my house gets burned down by an angry mob…and sorry about the last chapter, it sucked and was waay rushed but it mostly seems that way because there wasn't much dialogue. It was…what you call a transition chapter..heh..yeah…Oh. And I changed around the poem a teensy bit to make it work with my plot…but its pretty much the same.

**Chapter 10: Code Crackers**

(A/N: Oh yeah I should tell you this starts off in Fenna's POV but switches to Kilek's because the last chapter was super short.)

(AA/N: another author's note Sorry Alyssa, I couldn't squeeze you in this chapter. But you got it right and you're going in the next one!)

"Well, for one thing, I think we should begin our search in the library." Said Fenna with an executive tone.

"Why are you obsessed with libraries? There are other ways to find out about things!" Said Kilek with a scoff.

"Besides, the only library they have here is the old one that Galbitorix took over and closed to the public. Now only he and his little favorites have access." Sighed Vaz.

"So? We can sneak in easy as pie."

Kilek cut in. "Oh yes, we can be silent and sneaky with these chains rattling and clanking every time we move." He shook his sleeve to demonstrate, making the metal inside jangle around.

_Hmph._

"What if we didn't have the chains? Or the bloody shackles for that matter?"

"What do you mean! The shackles are the sign of a slave, and they stay on for life! Why do you think they make them out of wrought iron?"

"Anything can break if you hit it hard enough."

Four heads poked around the corner. The coast wasn't clear. Still a few people left. Then, clear! All four dashed into the open window of the blacksmith's shack.

When inside, they gathered around the forge, which was slowly cooling.

"Someone, put some coal on. We need to get the fire going again." Commanded Denflar. Fenna grabbed a bag from beside the fire and poured a pile of coal into the furnace.

"Now. I don't think hitting the metal would be very effective. Instead, everyone put your chains in the fire. Especially make sure the top links are getting hot."

_And of course, he can't explain the rest of his idea now can he?_

Fenna and the others took the chains out of the places they were hidden in the clothes, and twisted their wrists so the chains and shackles could be as close as possible to the heat. After a few minutes, the metal was turning red. The only one who didn't have his in was Den. He watched the threesome carefully.

"What now?" Asked Vaz.

"Wait until it gets white. Then we can proceed." Came the grim answer.

Minutes passed. The cuffs were getting very hot, and the skin around Fenna's were getting red and blistered. The pain was almost unbearable. Slowly, the chains were turning white. Kilek was wincing next to her.

"It's burning me! Can I stop?" He said, teeth grinding.

"Yes. Quickly take the chains out, everyone. Make sure they don't touch you."

Fenna yanked hers out of the fire, sending a shower of crimson sparks everywhere. The weight from the chains was pulling down on the cuff, searing the skin on the top of her wrists.

"Aah!"

"Aip!"

"Yowch!"

The same thing seemed to happen to Vaz and Kilek. Then, all the chains fell off of the cuffs, pried open under their own weight and softness.

Like lighting, Den put pieces of wood under all the cuffs, separating scalding metal from soft skin.

"Let's hope this doesn't take too long, else the blacksmith may come back." He took down a crowbar from a rack of tools on the wall and came to Fenna.

Fitting the crowbar into the cuff, he told her to pull upwards as hard as she could. She did so, and he pushed down on the bottom of the cuff using the crowbar. The red-hot iron was slowly being bent into a triangular shape. When he stopped, Den looked up.

"It will slide off now, Fenna."

_It had better._

She let her arm hang by her side. Just as Denflar said, the hot metal slid right onto the floor, landing with a dull clong. She held her hand up and gazed at her arm with joy, despite the burns. It was bare skin, free of iron and chains. It felt amazingly light. He did her other wrist, and then moved onto Kilek. When Vaz's turn came around, it became slightly more difficult, as his cuffs had cooled down. One had to be reheated.

"Ankle time." Announced Vaz, rubbing his wrists.

This time, Den put his wrist chains into the fire. After everyone took them out, the chains fell off again. Vaz help den with his cuffs. From there, it was a self-serve chain removal.

Fenna leapt in the air.

I feel so free!

She laughed and looked at the pile of smoldering metal on the floor. How good it felt to be unbridled! Never before had she been without shackles. Looking at the skin she had never seen before, she noticed a small mole. Then, a noise distracted them all from their newfound freedom.

The sound of a door opening.

Uh oh.

All heads spun to face the entrance. Coming inside was the blacksmith, who at their sight abruptly stopped whistling and stared.

"What do you think you are doing?" He said, dropping the groceries in his hand. Then he saw the pile of red hot chains. His eyes went wide. "SLAVES! Escaped slaves! Police! POL-

All four other bodies in the room were atop him in an instant.With their skills at knocking people out and tying them up, it was not a minute before they were on their way out the window and dashing like a group of antelope down the alleyways.

POV CHANGE

They sat huddled, panting lightly in their usual corner of a slummy alley. Kilek rubbed his wrists. They were covered in blisters and burns, yes, but at least he could now pass for a regular person. He laughed lightly as he noticed the white tan stripe.

_We must be out in the sun a lot!_

"That was good thinking, Den. Now, comrades. To locate the library." Said Vaz. Den nodded at the remark. They were off.

They snuck through the crowds; occasionally stopping to ask people if they knew where the library was. So far, the answers had turned out to be weird looks and disgruntled shoos. It was late evening when finally an old man said:

"Down this street and to the left. It is a big stone building that you can't miss."

"Thanks." Said Den, who had asked in the first place. Before the old man had a chance to ask why they wanted to go to a private library, the group was off, following their leader.

They found it shortly. Like most other buildings in the city, it was adorned with malicious gargoyles and worn banners. There was a single guard waiting at the front door, looking like he had been trying not to fall asleep for a while now.

"On three." Said Den. "One…two…THREE!"

Like a pack of wolves, they knocked down their prey and dragged it around the corner. A few people walking along stopped and stared in shock, but then rushed off for fear they would suffer the same fate.

After the guard was safely stowed in a pile of garbage tied up with his own jacket, they headed up the steps and into the building. A wave of dust seeped into his mouth and nose, then going down his throat and into his lungs. The result was him and everyone else coughing and gasping.

"Woah..this…(cough) place is…(cough. cough) dus-ty!" Gagged Vaz, teary eyed.

_Thanks for the update, Vaz._

"Who's there?" Came a voice, echoing around the enormous space. Everyone froze in shock. Everyone but Kilek, who had somewhat recovered. He looked up, and for a second was not aware of the potential danger. He was awestruck.

The roof was very high and dome shaped. There was a painted sky on it with things that he couldn't quite make out, but knew must be beautiful. The floor was carpeted with a very old but expensive, exotic looking rug. Shelf upon shelf as far as the eye could see were laden with books and scrolls, big and small, and of every color in the rainbow. They had leather bindings, wood bindings, paper bindings and even a few looked like they had snakeskin bindings. Kilek never imagined there could be so many different books in all the world. Then, his little trance was ended with a sharp yank from Den, who crammed him in beside the others under a big oak table.

Footsteps were coming nearer. But they weren't the kind of angry, urgent pounding footsteps that soldiers had. They were quick, but light, in a curious fashion.

"Hello? Anyone there?" It was a girl's voice. And it was very familiar. "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm the only one here."

_It's the creepy girl from the herb stand!_

"Afriila?" He asked. Three hands clapped to his mouth instantly, but then were drawn back as their owners suddenly realized he was right.

"Yes…who is that?"

Reluctantly they crawled out. Afriila was in front of the table and whirled around. Kilek caught a glimpse of her ear, which was pointed.

_That's weird…_

"Oh my! What are you doing in here! How do you get in!"

"Same to you." Replied Fenna, with an unusually irritated tone.

"_I _asked first."

"We knocked out the guard and snuck in. We need to find out something. Something private."

"Hmph. If you weren't so foolishly rude I might help you."

"You still didn't say why you are here."

Watching the two was like watching two angry cats about to claw each other.

"No one ever comes in here. I am here all the time."

"To?"

"To look at the work of herbologists and research new remedies, so that one day I may follow in the footsteps of my grandmother."

Fenna dismissed her with a hmph.

Den put on a forced laugh, and stepping in front of Fenna smiled broadly.

"Hehehe. I'm so sorry about her. Doesn't know when to _hold _her _tongue_." To prevent rebuttal, he had both hands tightly clamped over her mouth.

"Mph! Mmmmg! MMMMMF!" She was clawing wildly at his arms, but to no avail.

"Well. I can see that." Said Afriila distastefully. "Now, if you need any help... Just ask me. I know this library like the back of my hand."

"Actually, we _could_ use some help." Said Kilek. Vaz and Den nodded agreeing, while Fenna's eyes were like two blazing embers.

"Alright. What is it that you need?"

"We are looking for…information. There's a riddle that we have which we need to solve." Vaz pulled out their book and read it to her.

"It's definitely something along the lines of a mythological bird. But if its from old legends, we might have to dig a bit deeper."

"Oh I forgot to tell you," Said Kilek. "Beside the text were the pictures of a horse and an eagle."

Afriila's eyes flitted upwards. "Come with me."

They proceeded towards the back of the building, through many rows of dusty shelves. It boggled Kilek's mind how anyone could be able to navigate this place.

There was a small door around the corner of a pillar. They opened it and went up a narrow flight of stairs, single file. The staircase was steep, tight, and winding. Obviously not meant for a lot of traffic.

They reached a balcony, very high up and out of the way. There was one bookshelf off to the side, a chair and one table. On the table were neat stacks of books, along with a pile of parchment paper, an inkpen, and a candlestick.

"This is where I sit to read. I figure if anyone does bother to come into the library they won't come up here. Besides, this balcony is meant to be a secret study. When I first came here the door was locked. It took me three years to find the key, which was actually in a hollow book on one of the anatomy shelves. I picked it out because it was titled 'Clayworking through the ages.' In fact I still have the book here somewhere…"

"Woah. I can see everything from here!" Said Vaz, hanging over the banister.

"Yes, it is very smart the way the architect designed this study. You can see the library, but the library can't see you. See? The stone bordering the ceiling is built so it just barely covers the view of--

"Could we possibly get back on task?" Said Fenna, admiring the view of the library. Her long hair was hanging over the empty space. She was standing close to Vaz. Too close. Kilek became annoyed.

_Why does she like him? Why can't she ever pay attention to me!_

He had seen the way she gawked at him the first time they met. He had seen the look in her eyes.

Maybe he did like Fenna after all. Maybe that was the only reason he got so jealous of the other two. Maybe…maybe he had to stop fighting his conscience and follow his heart.

"Yes." Afriila said sourly. Now, I think I have what you're looking for." She walked over to the edge of the balcony, as she did the others backed away as to not obstruct her view. "Ah. There it is." She pointed to a spot on the domed ceiling nearby. "We can get a perfect view of it from here."

There it was. Between a cloud and an angel was a winged horse. There was a rose colored ribbon wrapped around its body, trailing behind it.

_What IS that?_

"That is a pegasus. In Alagaesian mythology and writing it is the symbol of purity and love."

Everyone was awestruck. It fit the description perfectly. Wait…there were a few things that didn't quite fit.

"But can't you touch it with your hands?" Said Den, scratching his head.

"Of course. If you could catch one, I mean."

Fenna was scanning the book again.

(A/N: Here's the poem for reference!

_It is something true and pure, on sky it flies fast and sure. Its symbol is one from stories of old, from lost tales and fables told. To find it is not difficult, yet only with one thing can it be felt. _)

"The _pegasus_ is not what it is asking for." She said suddenly in the puzzled silence."

"What do you mean!" Asked Den.

"It's symbol. It's SYMBOL is one from legends of old…so on and so fourth."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? That a pegasus isn't it?"

"Well, what is a pegasus the symbol of?"

_Oh._

It suddenly clicked. For Kilek, at least.

"Love and purity? But love is intangible? How can you feel it?"

"You feel it with your heart, stupid!" Said Vaz, rolling his eyes.

"Oh. Well that still doesn't explain how love flies fast and sure with wings."

"Poetically speaking, of course." Said Afriila, staring at the painting with a thoughtful expression. "The pure wings part was meant to help us find the symbol, I think."

_Hmm._

"Let's see what pegasus is in Ehluayn." Suggested Fenna.

They looked it up. But they couldn't find g. On the bottom of the page there was a note.

There is no G in the Ehluayn alphabet. Substitute G with H.

_Pehasus. What a discovery._

Vaz crossed his arms. "So. We get a pegasus if we open the door, but the key is love?"

"How does _that _work?" Scoffed Den.

Afriila snapped her fingers. "The Ehluayn language was used by a sister tribe of…humans near the mountains where I'm from. Pehas means _bond_.

Vaz smirked. "And how is a bond formed with love?"

Den caught his drift. "Sealed with a kiss, of course!"

"Sorry bud," Said Vaz, patting his friend on the shoulder. "I'm not kissing you." He dodged the oncoming punch by the width of a hair.

As he brushed himself off, making sure to be a good distance away from Den, all eyes drifted to the two standing nearest the wall. Kilek and Fenna.

"What! Don't look at us!" Exclaimed Fenna.

"Oh, we're _looking_ at you all right."

"That's crazy!" exclaimed Kilek. "There's no way we could open the stupid door just by…by…"

"It's worth a _try_," Said Afriila. "There is no other logical answer."

He caught Fenna looking at him suspiciously through the corner of her eye.

_Oh brother._

The trip to the Manor was unfortunately short. Afriila offered to stay at the gate to make sure no one came. It was night time now, and most people would be sleeping. Hopefully.

Kilek tried to walk as slowly as possible. But he was soon heartily ushered (dragged) along by Den.

Den and Vaz practically had to frog march them all the way to the back garden. Soon he was standing right in front of it. In front of the wooden door. The inscription on it was too hard to make out in the dark.

_Afriila had better be right._

"Okay. When you're ready." Snickered Vaz quietly. Den shoved Fenna in front of him.

"Can you at least go and turn around or something?" He said nervously to the two spectators.

"Sure. Just hurry up already." Said Den.

He and Vaz went over behind the hedge, still whispering and giggling.

He turned to face her. All he could see was her moonlit outline.

They nervously stood together on top of the wood. She sighed, then raised her hand and brushed the bangs out of his eyes. But before she took her hand away, he took it in his. She gazed at him with surprised curiosity, then with acknowledgment. Slowly, they drew closer. They closed their eyes. Time seemed to stop.

Their lips met for only a short moment. Kilek felt a sudden rush of energy, passion, and longing well up inside of him, sending a warm rush throughout his body.

_Is this love?_

There was suddenly a heavy clunk on the door they were standing on. The connection was severed. They both looked up at each other. He could see his reflection in her eyes.

"I guess it worked," She whispered quietly.


	11. Wings in Motion

Disclaimer: This is a bit of a long one just to warn you!

**Chapter 11: Wings in motion**

Vaz and Den burst out of the bushes.

"Did it work? Did it _work_?"

Fenna couldn't control her heart rate. It was like a drumroll. She would never forget the way Kilek held her hands, or the feeling of his lips…

"Look, I know you two are really enjoying this, but you'll have to move _eventually_!" Said Vaz, tugging at the wood beneath them.

Fenna realized they were _still_ holding hands. Not only that, but they were still close enough to touch noses. She loosened her grip and quickly pulled away from him. They hopped off the door, and now it was slowly being heaved open by Vaz. Fenna didn't dare look up. She knew her face was flaming red.

(A/N: Déjà vu!)

"Holy mackerel! This thing weighs a ton!" He exclaimed, arms trembling with effort. Fenna and the others ran over to help him. She could feel cold, damp air on her feet coming from the crack. They all heaved at once, and threw it open. The spot where the door was was completely black. An icy draft came from its depths.

"Who's going in first?" Den said nervously. The others exchanged glances, but no one replied.

"I think Kilek and Fen should go first." Said Vaz. "After all, you guys opened the door. There might be some sort of magic curse or something…"

_Fen. I have to tell him that isn't my name…_

"I agree." Said Den.

"I don't want to go down _there_," Said Fenna, pointing at the abyss.

"Neither do I." Kilek nodded.

A cold shiver was running down Fenna's spine. The night was getting cooler.

"Well, I'm afraid you'll have to." Growled Den conclusively. No one could or would challenge his authority.

She crept to the edge. Who knows how far the drop went? There was no ladder or rope on the side. For all they knew it could be a bottomless pit.

Kilek looked just as ecstatic as she did.

"Come on. At _least_ could we get a torch or --"

"Just GO!"

She wasn't sure who did it, but all of a sudden she got a strong push from behind.

Fenna yelped in surprise. And then, she was falling.

From above, there was a startled cry. "Fenna!"

And he must have jumped down, because the next thing she knew, she was flat on her back with him in a heap on top. All the bones in her body were rattled and jarred. The wind was badly knocked out of her lungs. If she could see at all, she would have seen they were in a tunnel.

"Get off me!" She moaned. He rolled off and collapsed in a pile.

"Are you hurt?" He said, rubbing his eyes.

"Not badly."

"Okay…"

It was much, much colder down here than above ground. There was a wet, earthy smell to the place. All she could see was the faint moonlit outline of Kilek against the dirt wall. Everything else was black.

"I can't see a thing." He said, looking around.

"Neither can I."

"_Ahoy_ down there! You two alright?"

"Barely!" Fenna called back sourly. "How are we supposed to get back _up_?"

"Den is going to find a rope. For now, resume exploration. If you need anything, I'll be here."

"We can't see a thing!" Said Kilek. "It's pitch dark!"

"That may be a problem. I'll tell Denflar when he comes back to nick a lantern out of a street lamp."

"Alright. What do we do in the meantime?"

"Just wait."

_Hmph. Easy for you to say. You're not stuck in this freezing pit!_

So they sat on the hard earthy ground. But many minutes passed and no news came of whether or not Den had come back. It started to get colder. And colder.

Fenna's teeth were chattering like a crab crawling over cobblestones. She had nothing but a shawl, which was five sizes too big. Kilek was wearing a wool vest over his tunic. Even then, he was still shivering.

"I'm freezing…" She whispered, hugging her knees.

"So am I." He replied. "But _you_ must be colder than _me_."

"P-probably…"

_Okay. I've had enough._

She swallowed her pride, and, shuffling over to Kilek, sat closely beside him. In response, he took his left arm out of his vest and slung the fabric over her shoulders to share their warmth.

"Better?"

"Much."

They sat in comfortable silence for a long time. Den had still not come back.

"Kilek?" Fenna asked suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"I think…maybe I don't hate you anymore."

"So now you only have an extreme dislike of me _instead_?."

"No."

"Why not? I've certainly done everything to deserve it."

She paused for a moment. "Not lately."

"Heh…well, that wasn't of my free will."

"I suppose it would be fair for me to still have an _extreme dislike_ towards you, then."

"I suppose so. What about if I said _sorry_?"

"Sorry wouldn't cover it." She shot back coyly.

"How about _this_ instead?"

She was taken by surprise by his kiss. But then everything just melted away. Nothing else mattered. This time around it was without spite. She felt like she was flying, on a cloud over the sea. It was exhilarating.

They broke apart slowly, gazing into each other's eyes.

"That _was_ of your free will, was it?"

"Definitely."

"Well then. Apology _accepted_."

They snuggled together a little more closely, waiting for Vaz's voice. The fluttery feeling wasn't going away.

Finally, there came a holler.

"Gang way! Lantern coming down!"

A few seconds later, a lantern came down lowered on a rope. It filled the chamber with jumpy light, showing then a passageway to the left.

They got up, and Fenna held the rope while Kilek untied the lantern's handle.

"We've got the rope secured!" Came Den's voice.

"Want one of us to come down?" Asked Vaz.

They exchanged nods.

"Nope! We're good!" Replied Fenna.

"Okay! I'll expect a full report when you come back."

Kilek was clutching the lantern. "Let's go then."

The passageway was long and narrow. Finally, they came to a large chamber. There were old torches on the wall, which they lit. And then the full beauty was seen.

From the ceiling hung gnarled roots. The walls were made of carved limestone. And in the middle of the room was a magnificent statue in the likeness of a winged horse. It looked fierce and wild, reared up on its hind legs with its wings spread wide. In front of it on the ground was a small tablet with finely chiseled print. Beneath it, embedded in the stone was a mirror. And Beside the tablet, on a pedestal, was another medium-sized circular mirror framed with a strange silvery wood.

"I'll decipher it." Said Kilek. He crouched down low in front of it, book in hand. "Behold the beauty you have found. A flying horse immortalized in stone. I, the guardian of the White Mountain, had sealed it in this chamber. Kept safe by the earth itself, and shielded by old magic. You, with your own magic have opened this chamber and are now rightfully entitled to its contents. I, Ahllena the second of Ehluay, give you my last and greatest treasure."

"Fehràr"

(A/N: Fey-rahr)

"Theres one last bit at the bottom…He will stir under the touch of a maiden, in the light of his ancestors."

"What do they mean by that, I wonder?" Asked Fenna.

"It's just a statue, it can't possibly come alive, can it?"

"But it says immortalized in stone. Which means it probably was turned to stone."

"So we're looking at a real…not-live specimen, then."

"Hm. What do they mean by the light of its ancestors?"

"Sunlight? I don't know."

"And how are we supposed to get sunlight in here?"

"Look! The mirror! We can use it to reflect the sunlight from the entrance."

"But something isn't right. Sunlight isn't really ancestral. It's pretty ordinary if you ask me."

Kilek stood pondering, staring into the dark corridor.

"Sunlight isn't. _Starlight_ is."

Fenna's eyes sparkled. "Starlight! Under the light of his ancestors, who live _through_ the _constellations_!"

"Precisely!" Kilek set down the lantern and they went to the big mirror, picking it up together and running with it down the corridor.

Fenna propped it up against the wall, tilting it on an angle. Weak light was coming from the surface, but the mirror directed it as a concentrated beam. They looked down the tunnel and gasped.

The torches were no longer needed. The chamber had become bright as day. Hundreds of hidden mirrors all along the entire chamber were glowing and shining. Dazzling light surrounded them as each mirror reflected across the room to the next one in the chain.

All were being fed through the beam coming down the corridor. It was unlike sunlight, it was whiter and brighter and clearer. The pegasus statue in the middle was absolutely gleaming.

"Okay, maiden. Go touch it." Said Kilek, swallowing.

She crept up to it, suddenly afraid. It's eyes seemed to be alive, the light playing off them like dancing fire. She slowly held out her hand and put it to its cheek.

_SNAP!_

All of a sudden cracks and splits were running it's entire length. The feathers in its wings were trembling. And then, it moved. Fenna snatched her hand away and backed up.

Its eye blinked twice and then it turned its neck. And suddenly, it shed its rocky skin like a bird coming out of his egg. Just then, a sound erupted:

It seemed to have been in the middle of a long and angry call. Not like a horse call, no. More like the cry of an eagle; but low-pitched and airier. The beast started flapping its wings wildly, and then came down upon all four legs.

"_Hyraaaaaaaaaa!_"

It was prancing all around the room, wings flailing and stirring up all the dust and debris scattered on the floor. The two humans stood in front of the entrance, petrified.

It smashed a mirror on the ceiling, and half the room darkened. This upset it even more.

"_Hyraaaaaaaaaaa! Hyraaaaaaaaaa!"_

"What the bloody 'ell is going on!" Screamed Vaz behind them. His jaw dropped when he saw.

"Blast!" Cried Den. His eyes turned to saucers.

The confusion was rising as the whirlwind of pebbles and dust was getting thicker, the beast was getting angrier, and the humans were getting more scared.

"How do we stop it!" Yelled Kilek.

"This is how!" Said Fenna, feeling a strange surge of courage.

She jumped into the fray and grabbed its mane. It snorted and whirled backwards, trying to throw her off. But she held on tightly and swung her leg over its back, positioning herself just ahead of its wings. She could feel its shoulder muscles working furiously.

It took out another mirror. The room got even dimmer.

Fenna yanked back on his mane, but the animal wouldn't respond. Instead, he made for the exit, galloping on the ground. Three boys jumped out of the way just in time.

It pounded down the tunnel at a frightening clip. Fenna could barely hold on. The wind was whistling in her ears so loudly that all other sounds were drowned out.

They reached the exit quickly, the pegasus struggling to flap his wings in the confined space. Too soon, they were in the air. Fenna felt her stomach do a backflip as she saw the ground falling away.

Standing by the hole as the others emerged was Afriila, a stunned look on her face.

_Whop, whop, whop, whop… _

The heavy beat of the animal's wings was soon the only sound. He was flying higher and higher, high above the city of Dras-Leona. Fenna clung on for dear life. Quickly, the Zulbeban property disappeared into a small speck far below.

Her breath quickened. What if the beast were to throw her off? Then what?

Strangely, he didn't seem to notice her at all. It seemed as though he was more focussed on the destination.

_I don't know where this thing plans to take me, and I'm sure not planning on leaving the country._

Tightening her grip on his sides, Fenna grabbed a handful of his silvery mane and yanked to the right. For a split second, he turned his head back and looked at her with one eye, snorting as if to say: _Just what do you think you're doing_?

Unexpectedly, he veered sharply to the right, banking steeply.

_Woah!_

When he leveled out, Fenna looked down. Dras-Leona was still in view.

_Now, to descend…_

She wasn't exactly sure if he would respond, but he did. She leaned forward on his neck and instantly, he slanted forward and started to drop.

It was the funnest, most terrifying thing that had ever happened to her. Her head was spinning. She could feel the pit of her stomach falling away. Her hold on the pegasus's mane was now a deathgrip so strong that her entire arms were devoid of any circulation.

And then, he pulled up his wings and started to glide over the rooftops. Fenna was still in a daze when she realized she wasn't familiar with this part of town.

_Oh well, we'll find them._

She leaned back and pulled his mane. Up they went, higher above the city so she could get a better view.

_I could get used to this…_

Fenna scanned the streets below. And there it was! The old manor, and out back, four figures scanning the night sky.

They soared over the roof and over the garden, landing softly in the area behind the fence.

"Fenna!"

Afriila ran over to her, but as she did, the pegasus snorted and spread his wings, looking as if he were ready to take off.

"Relax." Fenna said soothingly. "Fehràr …"

At the mention of his name, the beast's eyes lit up. He stopped shuffling and turned his head towards her. A flicker of blue light flashed across his eye.

And then a strange sensation seemed to take ahold of her mind. A strange force was encircling her conscience. It was communicated a questioning emotion to her.

At first it was terrifying. Then not so much. Then, when the alien force started to recede, she wasn't sure what to do.

Mentally, she sent a reply. An unsure-of-what-to-do kind of emotion.

There came an answer. A sentence formed in her mind, though it wasn't of any language fashioned by men…all she knew was that she understood its meaning.

_I am Fehràr._

The pegasus was making some sort of mental connection with her…

_I am Fenna._

She replied, her thoughts drifting over to the mind she felt on the other end of the connection.

"How come she isn't replying to us?" Said Vazula worriedly.

They stood round the mount, staring at its rider.

"I don't know. But look at the freaky expression on her face," Said Denflar, pointing at Fenna.

Her face was expressionless, mouth slightly ajar. Her eyes were wide and unblinking, glazed over and with no pupil. She was staring at the pegasus, who seemed to be in a similar trance.

Alfriila waved a hand in front of her face. No response.

"Oh-kay. What are we going to do now!" Said Kilek, scratching his head.

"We sure can't stay around here for ever." Mumbled Vaz.

Den turned around and froze.

"You…guys…"

Kilek and the others turned to see what was happening.

His whole body tensed.

A cloaked figure on the other side of the fence, stood, watching them. They were holding a lantern, glowing dimly in the icy night.

For a few brief seconds they stood, watching each other. Den was the first to move.

_This is it._

It was an all out race. As soon as the person saw their reaction, he started running back to the manor.

"Go!" Commanded Den.

(Afriila, of course, was not familiar with this drill.)

After the fence had been cleared, the chase was on. They dashed around tight corners, through bushes, across flowerbeds. The figure ran across the well plaza and hung a left. The pursuers followed, closing the gap. By pure luck did the person's cloak catch on a half- dead rosebush around a tight corner. Vaz was the first to catch him, and springing on his back, clamped his hands over his mouth.

Not until Den had driven him onto his back in a vicegrip headlock and Kilek thrown off the hood did they realize that it was actually a _girl._

(A/N: Heh…So how many of you saw that coming?)

She was petrified. She was a slave, like them, but dressed in the green uniform issued by the Ulkavas. Her wide eyes were a pale shade of grey, and her hair was a silvery blonde, done up in a hasty bun. She had skin the color of oak wood.

She was one of the mass market desert slaves that had replaced all of the servants.

They all stared briefly, dumbstruck.

"Hmph. Ran so fast, I could've sworn it was a boy." Said Den, eyebrow raised.

Vaz started to take his hand off her mouth. "Don't scream, okay? Or we'll have to knock you out and dump you in that well back there."

She swallowed and nodded slightly.

Kilek rolled his eyes. "Den, may as well let her up, she isn't going to run from us."

"So, why were you spying on us?" demanded Kilek.

She swallowed again. "I..I…was that…really a-…"

"You didn't answer my question!"

"I…I was sent to go check out the noises in the garden. A great deal of yelling and screaming was going on, y'know."

Vaz crossed his arms. "You saw what was going on?"

Th girl nodded her head.

"Hmph. What are we going to do with you then? We can't have you going back and telling everyone we have a flying horse."

"Please, I promise I won't tell a single soul!" She placed her hand gingerly on his cheek, leaning closer.

She looked deep into his eyes, pleading. And being the complete lecher he was, Vaz gave in instantly.

"Oh, guys, she's right. I'm sure she won't-"

SMACK!

Den cuffed him on the forehead and sighed.

"Pull yourself together Vaz! She put our _lives in jeopardy_ just now!"

Before she could finish pleading for mercy, Afriila came crashing through the bush beside them.

"Pleh! Pleh!" She spat out the leaves in her mouth. "You three should be shamed of yourselves! Have you forgotten about Fenna?" Then she spied the girl. "_This_ is the one who was watching us?"

"Yes," Said Den gruffly.

"What is your name?" Said Afriila to her.

"Lisuh."

_An exotic name._

(A/N…Okay I feel like putting a pronunciation guide in right about now.

Capital letters are the syllables you put emphasis on.

Lisuh: LEE-za

Afriila: Aff-REEL-uh

Denflar: DIN-vlar

Vazula: Vaz-OO-luh

Kilek: KEE-lick

Fenna: FEN-uh

Ulkava: ool-KAW-vuh

Zuleban: ZOOL-ban

Dras-Leona: I forget look in your books.

Okay back to the story!)

Vaz stopped rubbing his temple and snapped to attention.

"So you're from a Hadarac village, then?"

Her eyes sparkled. She was working her magic on him again.

"Yes, I _am_. And you must be, too?"

"Yeah. My name's Vazula." He smiled stupidly at her.

_I think someone's in love…_

Kilek was laughing to himself, Den was getting up, Vaz was going google-eyed, and Afriila was fuming.

Afriila put her hand on Lisuh's forehead and closed her eyes.

"Lisuh à maheil fairtim o rithril."

Suddenly Lisuh's eyes glazed over. A light breath escaped her, and then she collapsed.

"What did you _do_ to her?" Exclaimed Vaz, clapping his hands to his head.

"Don't worry. I only erased her recent memories so that she wouldn't be able to tattle."

"What are you, a _witch_!" Exploded Kilek.

"No. But it is about time that I told you…" She swept back her black hair and revealed pointed hears.

"_That I am an elf_."

There was a stunned silence.

_I always knew there was something weird about her!_

**Now, I want ALL of you to review! I was devastated at the amount I received last time! Dismal! Very dismal! And that was the romantic chapter! COME ON! REVIEW! I poured out my soul into this chapter, and If you don't send at least 1 review….GAAAAH! I will DELAY until Christmas and you will all suffer! (J/k, but I will be very sad.) Oh, and from now on, the headnotes and footnotes will be in bold to make it less confusing. I might update all the other chapters…But we'll see. Okay!**

**Congrats Alyssa! You're character was in this chapter! She plays a small but vital role. Okay, she may not have the same name as you, but she is dedicated to you all the same. (Plus, Alyssa isn't exactly…Alagaesian-ish…)**


	12. A Plan is Made

**Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon. Okay, now that we have that out of the way…Yes! School is o-u-t OUT! Who's excited! ME! Okay. Probably this chapter will be delayed awhile, so….(lol not exactly late breaking news, but sure) Now. I'm glad you guys have been liking the story so far. Things like 'this is my favorite fic' …well…wow. That just warms my heart. Now I want to write the story, so…yay! Make sure to review. I want to get to 100!**

**Chapter 12: A Plan is Made**

For a short while it was complete and utter silence. Not a cheerful, comfortable silence. No. An akward and shocked silence.

"There is no time right now, get yourselves up and back to Fenna! She could be flying away as we speak!"

Den picked up the unconscious body and slung it on his back. Then, the crashing through bushes and tearing around corners continued back to the trapdoor area.

There was a bit of trouble getting Lisuh over the fence, of course.

"I'll throw her over, and you catch!" Called Den to Kilek and Vaz on the other side.

"No way! She'll get _skewered_ on the spikes!" Exclaimed Kilek.

"Okay, smart guy. Can _you_ suggest anything that wouldn't end up in a Lisuh-kebab?"

"Can we squeeze her through the bars?" Suggested Vaz.

"No! I can barely stick my _arm _through."

"Then just _stay there_ or _leave her_." Snapped Afriila, turning around.

Den muttered a few curse words and set down the unconscious girl, sitting beside her. 

Fenna was still on the flying horse, with her possessed expression.

"We had better get out of here, it ought to be sun-up soon," Said Vaz worriedly.

"We have to wait until the mental connection is broken," Said Afriila, watching them closely.

"Mental connection?"

"Yes. That is what is happening. They are talking telepathically to one another. We cannot move them until they stop, for they cannot see or hear us at the moment."

Kilek rubbed his chin. "So that gives us some time?"

"Possibly."

"Well then. Maybe you could explain who you really are and why you came to the city."

Afriila sighed, her grey eyes downcast.

"I suppose I should." She cleared her throat and stood up more straightly. "As you may know, we elves do not normally come to the south, as we are more reserved folk. But after my parents were killed in the Great War, my grandmother and I were left to look after ourselves. We moved here to sell medicine, but also to serve as a monitor of Galbitorix."

Kilek had not heard that name mentioned for a long time.

_He is still plotting things? Even after his rise of power?_

"We were sent by the queen to live our lives as normal citizens. If anything out of the ordinary were to happen, my grandmother would alert her. I stay and study medicinal plants. When my grandmother dies, I will take her place as both monitor and herbologist."

There was a sudden noise. The pegasus stamped his foot and Fenna was rubbing her head. She blinked her eyes and moved her mouth.

"How long has it been?" She said dreamily.

"_Very_ long." Mumbled Kilek.

"Fenna, you must go to a safer place before the sun rises. The bustling city is no home for a flying horse."

She went into the trance again.

"Oh, man!" Moaned Vaz.

Luckily this time she snapped right out.

"Fehràr says he could carry two of us."

"Who's _that_?" Asked Vaz.

"That's it's name," Said Fenna, patting his shoulder.

"_That's _insane! You can't seriously expect us to want to fly on that …_thing_!" Kilek said, pointing.

Fenna looked very disappointed.

Afriila huffed impatiently. "You go! The rest of us will walk. We just need to arrange a meeting place. Then we can figure out what we're doing."

Fenna regarded her. "How about the Ulkava corn field? It's past corn season and no one will see us there."

"Good idea," Agreed Kilek.

Vaz groaned. "But it's such a loooong walk!"

"Oh _come_ on. You did it, and did most of it carrying _me_." She smiled brightly.

"No thanks. I don't really want to walk all that way."

"Then come along, we don't have time to spare."

He hustled over to them.

Kilek was heading back to the fence to talk to Den, but then he turned around and caught a glimpse of Vaz with his arms wrapped around Fenna's waist. The situation was completely irrelevant. All he saw was Vaz and Fenna. Close. Together.

He was over to them faster than you could say 'green-eyed-fury'.

"What is it?" Said Fenna impatiently when she saw him coming up in a storm.

"Vaz…" He growled icily.

"What?" Vaz said, confused, then suddenly realized.

"Ah. No problem, Kilek. You are most welcome to take my place behind yonder fairest maiden, atop the mystical steed of-"

Impatiently, Kilek pulled him off and climbed in his place. Sitting on the back of a pegasus wasn't exactly an everyday activity. Unlike riding a horse, you had to sit right at the base of its neck, else you would be blocking his wings. You can imagine how much room there was. And with two passengers, well…

"Okay, Kilek. Like I was saying to Vaz. Hold on tightly, because it's pretty scary at first. And don't make any sudden jerks or movements that might scare him. I had to do a lot of persuading, you know."

"You're sure he can take both of us at once?" He said, suddenly realizing really what was going on. His heart started to beat hard and fast.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm not surprised, I mean, we aren't exactly the most well fed people in the city."

It was true. It was said that a noble would starve on a slave's ration. And these slaves hadn't eaten for nearly 20 hours.

Suddenly, the beast began to flap his wings. It was terrfifying, but he didn't let her know that. All of a sudden they were plunging into a rough gallop. Made even rougher by the fact that he had never even ridden a horse before. Then it was lift-off.

Kilek was taken by surprise, and clamped onto Fenna. She recoiled at first, then settled back down. They tilted on a steep angle into the sky.

"Just relax! You're making Fehràr anxious."

"Er…Sorry." He loosened his grip.

They rose higher. Kilek dared not look down. They were, after all, suspended above nothing. If he fell right now, nothing would catch him. Butterflies were swirling in his stomach.

Then something weird happened. He felt a strange probe trying to touch his mind. Though he had never dealt with magic before, he had heard it could be used for telepathical conversations.

_You are Kilek?_

The strange words formed in his mind. He was startled that it made sense. _It must be Fehràr, he thought._

_Yes. _

He spoke the words in his mind the way he would usually think to himself.

_Ah._

_Ah? What do you mean? _

_Fenna has told me things about you…_

_Good things?_

_Yes. _

It seemed to only use one word replies most of the time.

_Good things like what?_

_ She does not speak them directly to me. But I feel she has fondness of you._

Okay, nevermind.

_A strong fondness? Or a friendly fondness._

_Very strong fondness. Maybe love._

He swelled with joy.

_Tell me more!_

_She may loose trust in me if I do. _

_I won't tell her you told me! I promise!_

_Settle, young one. I can only go so far before crossing the line of intrusion.._

_So how do you sense her opinion of me, then?_

_ I feel a strong emotion behind her thoughts. That is what I sense._

_Do you think she and I could do this?_

_Possibly._

_Why not?_

_You have weak magic skills, young one._

_Could you teach us magic?_

_All in good time. I want to get back to Fenna, now._

_Fine…_

He could feel the mind pulling away.

And then he felt himself snapping out of the trance. Suddenly, he didn't feel afraid of flying anymore. And a voice was growing nearer.

"Kilek…Kilek…KILEK!"

"Wha-what!" He came to attention.

"Can I have your vest? It's pretty chilly here up front."

"You're _cold_?"

"Yes stupid, what did I just tell you?"

"Don't call me stupid, or you'll be sorry."

"Really, now?"

"Yes." He took his arms away from her.

"That's not a very good punishment."

Now, The high up wintry air was whipping through their hair and sending shivers up their spines. Many minutes passed. Kilek could see many small goosebumps on Fenna's bare arms. Her paper-thin short-sleeved tunic and holey shawl did nothing to keep the cold air from sapping her body heat. He knew this. He knew She knew this. But stubborn as she was, Fenna was waiting for Kilek to get cold first. She was talking to Fehràr for a bit. When she came out, she began to shiver.

Just when he thought she would give in, she didn't. And it was quite a while before she finally said something. The steady rhythm of Fehrar's wingbeats was calming. Still, Kilek didn't dare look down. He was amazed Fenna could last so long.

"Kilek."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You're talking to me?"

She elbowed him in the ribs. "Sorry! I get it! Now, get you and your accursed vest _back_ here!"

He hugged her around the waist again, this time more tightly. It felt good to be so close to her.

"You're lucky I came along," he teased.

"Yeah, _right_! Vaz has a _long-sleeved_ coat on. And I'm sure he would have gladly given it to me."

"Well, for your information, you didn't have to let me kick him off."

"I know that."

"So why didn't you?"

She paused for a moment.

"Because I'd rather have _you_."

His heart felt a little lighter inside. And suddenly the wind didn't bite so much anymore. The cold was replaced with the satisfied warmth deep inside. Nothing anyone said could have meant more to him than that.

It was a long flight. Strange as the feeling of flying atop a pegasus may seem, he became more relaxed and almost fell asleep on several occasions.

And as the flight wore on, she became the only thing he could think about. Her long, dark hair the color of otter's fur. Her sparkling hazel eyes that seemed to go on forever. When looked at closely, they had a touch of violet, outlining the pupil. Her delicate jaw line that framed her beautiful face. Her long eyelashes that would brush against his cheek when they came close. And the sound of her voice when she spoke. It reminded him of a brook flowing over river stones-Cool and lipid.

_Didn't she used to have a rock collection? _

But most of all, her smile. A smile that could make his soul sprout wings and fly.

Then, to his slight disappointment, they began to descend. It was a fluttery sort of feeling, one he had only experienced once before in his old farm, when another slave had pushed him off the roof into a haystack. His head started to spin.

He looked down, then he saw it; the large, seemingly endless fields where they had toiled in the sun for the last half the summer. The height unsteadied him. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about how high they were.

They turned right and began a steeper descent towards the harvested cornfield. The fluttery feeling turned into a queasy ache. Riding a mythical creature sure was exhilarating…but not quite what it was cracked up to be. Kilek's head started to spin even more. He started to feel even worse.

"Fenna…I feel sick," He said quietly.

"Just a minute. We're almost to the ground." She said reassuringly.

They glided down into the field, then went into the rough gallop, then slowed to a halt. Kilek slid off and onto the ground, legs shaking. Then he ran a few rows over and retched.

He collapsed. Things were starting to turn funny colors.

"Kilek? _Kilek_?" He heard her calling his name.

"I…just….need to…lie…down…" He mumbled, trying not to look the way he felt.

_Maybe she won't figure out that I'm afraid of heights._

"Get up!" She said. "Get up!"

She stopped after awhile. That was good, because he needed to sleep.

When he woke up, it was mid-morning. Fenna was sitting beside him, eating some old corn leaves.

"Hey, you're awake!" She said happily.

"I'm starving." He said, tasting sour bile in his mouth.

"Good. Because I prepared a special breakfast for you. Corn husks, corn stalks, corn roots and corn corn."

He lay dazed, rubbing his eyes.

"When are the others coming?"

"I don't know. If we're lucky, this evening. Now be a _good little boy_ and eat up all your corn stalks."

It was a long day of waiting. There wasn't much activity. They sat and ate the old, browning corn leftovers from the harvest. The only thing that didn't taste like moldy straw were the roots, which were still somewhat alive. Everything else was stale and tasteless.

The sun was setting. Kilek lay with his head in Fenna's lap, who was leaning against Fehràr. She slowly ran her fingers through his hair, over and over. Eventually, the three companions fell asleep, closing their eyes as the sun sank in a golden haze.

The next day, frost was covering the ground. Kilek woke to find the dirt stiff and crackly.

(A/N: lol…microsoft word underlined crackly in red. Too bad for them. I'm keeping it.)

Fehràr was contacting him.

_Maybe I should go up and see if I can spot them._

_No! The slaves will be out by now. Someone may see you._

_I have lived for many years, young one. I have been in worse situations than being seen. Most think I am a bird._

_You're positive?_

_No. I will fly low until out of sight, then go high. So high that I appear as a small dot. No one will see._

_Make sure it's okay with Fenna._

_I have already._

The connection was broken abruptly. Kilek felt slightly angered that he was always second to know.

Fehrar took off in a gallop, seemingly with more ease than when he had carried passengers. His wings spread wide, breaking the cornstalks in their path as they swept past.

Then he was in the air. It was simply majestic. Kilek hadn't got a good at him the previous night. Now he could see the creature in it's full majesty, soaring low through the air. He had a long mane and tail, which rippled in the wind like flags. His fur glistened like mother-of-pearl. As he flew, he would tuck in his front legs like a horse jumping over a fence. It was truly an amazing sight.

Fenna was sleeping in the frosty dirt. Today was a cool, overcast fall day. The sun was hidden behind thick, ugly grey clouds.

After about half an hour, Fehrar came back. As usual he would go over to Fenna first. She jolted upright as if someone had poured ice over her.

"Kilek, really bad news!" She said, scrambling over to him.

"What? Did something happen to them?" His heart was racing.

"They're being chased by the police. And Afriila took off!"

**Hokkay. That was ten pages of pagey goodness. And yes, I did have to make a cliffhanger. You guys needed one eventually…wait…the last few ones have been cliffhangers…oh well. I hope you guys have all been having great summers, and sorry about the wait. My parents are the kind of people who don't let me bum around on the computer all day…so yeah not tons of time for writing. Sigh. It matters not! I'll update asap…at least twice before school starts I promise.**


	13. A Bump in the Road

Chapter 13: A bump in the road 

Fenna was shivering with panic. If Vaz and Den were caught, everything would go wrong. Not that they had any surefire plans…

_We have to go rescue them!_

_How do you suggest we do that?_

_We can fly overhead and scoop them up._

_And I fly away carrying four humans._

_No…_

_It was bad enough carrying you and your male companion._

_Then why don't you fly overhead while we run on foot?_

_You humans are not fast enough to keep up with me._

_I'm not leaving without Kilek._

_Fine, have it your way._

The mind connection dissolved and Fehràr sprang into the air, wings beating heavily. He seemed angry.

"Kilek, we will run on foot and follow him," She said, pointing.

"All right…" She grabbed his hand and they sprinted off after the winged horse.

As if to rub it in, Fehràr did not go easy on them. He flew at his normal speed, forcing them to run their hardest.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," Panted Kilek after a minute or so.

A dull ache was forming itself in Fenna's ankle. And with every step, the pain grew a bit worse.

"I don't think I can either…" She said, gulping.

Fehràr flew on, and slowly they began to fall further behind. Eventually, they could only catch brief glimpses of him on the horizon.

Her formerly broken ankle was now really starting to bother her. Why was the pain coming back?

They ran on, nearing the end of the cornfield and the beginning of the wheat.

She suddenly tripped and fell, landing in a pile of cold dirt. Her ankle screamed with pain. She bit her tongue to keep from yelping.

Kilek heard her fall and skidded to a stop, turning around.

"What's the matter?"

"My…ankle…"

Before she had time to react, he had whisked her up and was carrying her, bridal style.

"This is ridiculous, Kilek! You can't run with _me_!"

"Sure I can."

She felt awkward and terrified. Only once before had Kilek carried her like this. And when he did, it was not of either of their free will.

"No you can't! And I'm _fine_!" She thrashed her legs, trying to make him let go.

"Stop it! I'm doing you a favor!" he said, holding more tightly.

"I can run by my self! Let me _down_!"

"You always were stubborn. Besides, you're light as a feather."

"That's not what you said _before_." She looked up at him quizically.

"I know…either you've gotten skinnier or I've gotten stronger." He grinned wolfishly. Fenna was angry now.

"It'll be faster for _both_ of us if I just run on my own," She shouted, thrashing again. This time, he let go completely, and she dropped onto the dirt.

"Happy?" he said, dusting off his hands.

"Quite." She replied, standing up and adjusting her shawl.

"Let's see if you can walk. Go ahead." He pointed in the direction they were headed.

Fenna took one step and then a fresh explosion of pain came up her left ankle.

_I thought it was healed!_

Evidently not. And the situation was made worse, because Kilek walked on ahead, knowing exactly what was going on.

"I guess I was wrong, see you there!" He called over his shoulder.

She tried to run. But it…did not work.

"Oof!" She spat out the dirt in her mouth and watched him become further away.

"Kilek! I didn't mean it! _Come on_!"

"Oh…I dunno." He turned around and pretended to be contemplating.

Fenna scowled at him.

"We don't have time to waste."

"Oh, fine. But you owe me something."

"Like what? I don't have anything to give you." The quieter, kinder person she met in the secret tunnel seemed to be back to his old self.

"A favor."

(A/N: Lol If that was Vaz right there…he definitely would have asked for a kiss :P)

It was piggyback this time. (Luckily.) Kilek ran as best he could until they came to the road. Then, she heard it.

"Get them!"

The sound of cantering horse hooves could be heard. All of a sudden…

_Get off the road! Go hide!_

She snapped out of it instantly.

"Did you get that?" Asked Kilek.

"Yeah."

They dove for the ditch and watched as Den and Vaz appeared, looking exhausted, but running like madmen down the road. Den was still carrying Lisuh, who was screaming.

_Oh yeah, Afriila erased her memory…she probably thinks she is being kidnapped…_

Den disgustedly tossed the screaming and kicking girl onto the road and kept running. One of the officers in the pack broke off to go get her. The rest were closing in.

Suddenly there was a streak of white in front of the horses. They all reared on their hind feet and broke away from the group. There was yelling and commotion. But the men had already gained the distance they needed to.

Three lunged on Denflar, when he fell one held him while the others kicked him in the stomach.

"No!" Kilek ran and attacked one of the officers, jumping on his back with one arm round his neck.

"Kilek!" Fenna (suprisingly) got up and ran with all her might, getting scooped up by Fehràr on the way.

_Stop this foolishness!_

_I can help, can't I?_

_No! You must stay with me or risk being captured._

_What about the others?_

He answered her question by ramming into the guards holding Denflar. His strong wings bowled them over as he ripped past.

"Run!" Fenna screamed to them. She looked for Kilek frantically. She saw him with the guard he attacked, getting gagged with a rope. The guard kneed him in the back, making him hollow and twist uncomfortably.

Fenna grabbed a handful of mane and yanked to the left. As they were turning sharply, one of the guards cried angrily and plunged his sword into Fehrar's shoulder.

Fenna was thrown onto the paved road, her head slamming on the cold cement. The last thing she saw was a struggling Kilek being slung onto the back of a horse.

It was a long time before she awoke. Her head swam in pain and dizziness.

"Vaz, she's awake!"

"Blimey! Are you feeling alright?"

Den's face was sliding in and out of focus.

"I…I.." Her throat stung.

"Have some water."

Something containing it was pressed to her lips. Fenna took a few sips and then pushed it away. She was lying in the old cornfield, wrapped in Vaz's coat. By the sun, it seemed to be some time later.

"What happened? Is Kilek here?" He was all she could think about. Suddenly, the memory came back to her. "Is he _here_?" She said, more urgently. She blinked away the blurriness.

Den and Vaz exchanged worried glances.

"Sorry Fenna…we couldn't get him in time."

She grabbed Den by the collar and pulled his face close to hers.

"_Where_ is the pegasus?"

He sighed. "I don't know. After the guard jabbed him and you were thrown off, he just bolted into the bushes. There was blood all over the road."

Fenna let go of his collar, closing her eyes after a surge of pain in her head.

"Did they _hurt_ Kilek?" She said, voice quivering.

Both boys hesitated to answer. Then Vaz scratched his head and said,

"I don't know. The soldiers all seemed pretty freaked out of the flyin' horse and tried to regroup. One of them had him tied up and on his horse. They all fled in the confusion and figured they had better save their own hides. We got out of there before the other guys woke up."

Fenna hung her head, trying to take it all in.

"We have to save him."

She stood up, still dizzy and remembered her ankle.

_I forgot about that…_

Fiery pain was shooting up her left leg.

"What's wrong?" Asked Vaz.

"My ankle…I don't think it healed properly." Fenna said, sitting down.

"That blasted elf."

"She betrayed us!" Dan growled, pounding the ground with his fist. "When she saw the soldiers chasing us, she was gone. Just like that." He snapped his fingers.

"We don't know how or where, but she just disappeared. The instant we turned around she was no where to be seen."

Fenna squeezed her hand into a fist. "We have to find her. But more importantly, we have to find Kilek."

The early evening light made their shadows long and tall along the gravel road. Fenna ended up piggybacking with Denflar. As they ran along, the group of three happened upon a weary traveler and his horse carrying baskets of vegetables. It was a godsend.

Fenna rode while Vaz and Den walked along beside. But they didn't mind, seeing as how they were busy relieving the horse of its burden.

The only problem of the journey arrived when they came to the guarded gates. Fenna refused to re-enact the last scheme.

"They won't believe I'm a peddler, there's hardly any vegetables left!"

"It's that or you're selling slaves. Take your pick."

"But why can't one of you be the talker? Why do I always have to do it?"

"You are the only one among us who could suffice for a peasant."

It was true. Den's clothes were ragged and torn, and he was covered in scrapes. Vaz was none for the better, with a black eye and badly ripped trousers.

Fenna suddenly felt Fehrar in her mind…

_Where are you?_

_By the Dras Leona gates._

_No! You musn't go in!_

_We have to rescue Kilek._

_It is foolhardy! Guards are looking for a band of escaped slaves, and when they find you out, you will be killed._

_I don't care!_

_If it is suicide that you crave, then by all means, continue._

Fenna didn't reply.

_So, will you risk your life for his?_

She thought for awhile. Ever since they had been sold and forced to stick together, she had stronger feelings for him. He obviously thought fondly of her, but did he really, actually, _love_ her? It was hard to say. He never said he did. So could he? Her insides churned. She wasn't sure if _she_ loved him, anyways. Her thoughts were always occupied by Kilek, whether it be the memories of torment in their childhood, or the more recent ones…

So would she risk her own life for someone she had hated so very much not three months ago?

_Yes._

"Fenna! This is no time to daydream!"

"Sorry. Let's just use the slave tactic again."

So, they went up to the gates and waited for the guards to ask them what their business was.

"Sorry, ma'am. No slaves in or out of the city until we got our escapade problem sorted out."

Fenna, her headscarf covering her face, began to feel uneasy.

"But sir," she said, trying to sound older, "I am but a poor farmer's wife. If I can't sell my these slaves, my family will go hungry for a week."

"How can you feed your slaves in the first place?"

"We can't. They were a gift from a neighbor, sir." She adjusted her sleeves.

"I'm sorry ma'am. No slaves in or out."

"Surely you can let me sell –

"Wait a second. Let me git a better look at this 'un." Croaked the guard on the opposite side. He grabbed a handful of Vaz's blonde hair and looked him in the face. Fenna could feel her face draining of color.

"By golly, tha's one of 'em!" He pointed to a wanted poster on the wall, featuring drawings of four teenaged faces.

"Who are you!" Demanded the first guard.

"Run!" Fenna yelled, giving her horse a kick. Vaz and Den were right with her.

They flew down the cobblestone street, ignoring shouts from the guards.

"_Get back here_! You are breaking the law!"

Confused peasants ran confusedly, most getting out of the way just in time.

"This way!" Vaz called, pointing down a side street. Fenna struggled to stay on using only one stirrup.

They rounded a corner and bowled over a man carrying crates of chickens. Straw and feathers were flying everywhere. Fenna's horse trampled some boxes in the way, and knocked over a stand selling cloth.

"Come on!" Said Den, as Vaz tried to get out of the mess of flapping poultry.

They ran down the road and into an alleyway. They could hear shouts of "They went that way!" and "Over there!"

Exasperated, exhausted, and trapped, they suddenly came face to face with none other than Afriila herself.

"Come, this way." She said, motioning towards a door further down the side of the building.

Fenna slid off the horse and tried to run after them, only to collapse. She scrambled after them, crying out for them to wait.

Vaz double backed and grabbed her hand.

"Come on."

The group ran in the doorway and down into the cellar of the building. They were huddled amongst some barrels when Afriila went back up the stairs and placed her hand on the closed door.

She said some phrase in a foreign tongue and suddenly the whole door seemed to shrink and melt, until all that was there was a wall. Afriila came back to them and casually flicked a lock of hair out of her face.

Seeing the stunned faces, she replied,

"I know some basic magic."

"Is that how you ditched us back when we were being chased?" Said Vaz resentfully.

"I had to abandon you. Getting caught by police is to risk my discovery."

"So you didn't care about _us_?" Fenna retorted fiercely. "We could have been killed!"

"I am aware of that." Said Afriila in a controlled, but obviously angered manner. "I am _also_ aware that I aided in your escape _just now_." Her grey eyes were harder than steel.

"That doesn't mean Kilek is going to be safe." Said Fenna coldly, looking straight into them.

**Disclaimer: Ooooh getting intense! That was a long one. But lately, writing long chapters isn't so hard. :P Anyways. Lately I've been contradicting myself in the story a bit, whether it be descriptions that have changes, placenames that should be different, or just plain spelling errors. Let me know about these, I'd like to get my chapters nice and pretty before the story is completed. Review away! **


	14. DVF To the Rescue!

**Chapter 14: DVF to the Rescue!**

He lay motionless in the center of his cell, in the same spot he had been tossed. The floor was grubby and unwashed. It smelled of rats and urine. Alas, movement was restricted when one was tied up like a pig.

It was a while before the prison guard came and doled out the vile slop they passed off for gruel. Groaning in hunger and pain, Kilek rolled on his side and tried for the life of him to drag the bowl towards him with his foot.

After eating it, he fell into a troubled sleep.

He was later jostled awake by the guard.

"Get up, the master wants to see you," He grumbled.

"I can't, exactly." Said Kilek.

It seemed to suddenly hit the guard that he was tied up.

_He's a quick one, alright!_

"Aye…"

So Kilek was roughly untied, then retied around the wrists.

"This way."

It didn't really matter which way it was, because the guard was pretty much hauling him along by the collar. They passed dozens of cells like his, and then went up two flights of stairs to a slightly cleaner, less stinking corridor. They then stopped at a door. The guard knocked twice, then licked his hand and slicked back his hair.

"You 'ed best be polite to Mr. Ruzak."

The door was swiftly opened and they were ushered inside. Mr. 'Ruzak' was obviously the jail supervisor, an ugly, greasy man wearing a patchy fur vest and cheap rings. His eyes were a watery blue, hidden behind fuzzy black eyebrows. Kilek was forced to his knees, held tightly.

The room was small, furnished with old wooden chairs and a cramped desk in the corner. Notes and special dates were tacked to the wall, along with a labeled map of the prison. On a wall rack, there were countless keys, most appearing to be of relative shape and size.

"Lemme see 'im." Ruzak said, taking a cane off the wall and using it to push Kilek's head up. His gaze was cold and menacing. Kilek cast his eyes down.

"It's one of 'em alright." He mumbled. "But where'r the other three?"

The guard answered.

"Frunden says they escaped, sir."

The man looked at the guard.

"What d'you mean they escaped!?" Ruzak snarled.

"Sir, you woun't believe me if I tol' yeh."

"What? Tell me!"

Kilek inwardly grinned. The guard would not be able to explain the pegasus.

"Sir, there was some sot'a flyin hoss, he says. They lost two men, they did."

"Well. I'll deal with _Frunden_ later." He regarded Kilek again.

"We still have something to work with. For now at least."

_For now, at least?_

The man took the end of the cane from under Kilek's throat.

"What's your name, boy?"

He looked at the ground and didn't answer.

"Not talkative, eh?" Mr. Ruzak gently brushed the edge of the cane across his cheek. He swallowed, trying to conceal his nervousness.

"At any rate, that's not important right now." He turned his back and started to pace around the room. "Tie him up, Edgar."

Kilek didn't struggle. He was bound tightly against a chair, and his legs tied to the feet so he couldn't kick. When Edgar was done, he was dismissed. The door clicked shut, leaving the dim room in silence.

"Now. I'm not one to prance around the subject. You will tell me, or you will be punished." He paused briefly. "I need to know where your friends ran off to."

Kilek was silent again, hating the man more every second.

"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Take your pick." Ruzak paced around him slowly, tapping the cane on the floor.

Still, he remained silent.

"I see. Well, you four have caused us a lot of trouble, let me tell you. The municipal government has been accused of insufficient methods of handling slaves. There have been many complaints from peasants, saying there have been kidnappings. The police have been working around the clock hunting down escaped slaves, who have been undoubtedly inspired by the news of the recent break outs. More and more slaves aren't doing their job, and are sneaking out during the night." He paused for a moment, examining his fingers.

"Do you know how all of this was started?"

Kilek remained with his mouth firmly shut. This man would not have the satisfaction of getting him to reply.

"It started, when a farmer outside the city came and complained to the slave marketers. He said some of his slaves were missing, and had probably gone to the city. Naturally, news of this spread like wildfire among both peasants and slaves. Soon there was talk of an uprising. The total amount who had escaped was not known, and it was thought there were hundreds roaming the street, disguised as civilians. It has caused much trouble for us, you know."

Kilek stared at his knees.

"The city is in panic. There has even been talk of assassinations. And now, I have ahold of the one tool I need, to put an end to this. And to reap my reward." His lips cracked into an evil glare. "Now…Tell me where your little friends went."

Another long pause. Mr. Ruzak started to get flustered.

"Tell me where they are!" He said loudly, pressing his face close to Kilek's. When he received no answer, he took his cane and struck him across the face, just under his cheekbone. Kilek could feel the bruise forming already.

Alas, physical pain meant nothing.

"Tell me!" He said angrily, smacking Kilek again. His head twisted back to its frontal position. Still he said not a word.

Kilek didn't listen to Mr. Ruzak. He didn't care what he said. . Kilek simply withdrew his mind and hid within the recesses of his body. As long as he knew his friends would come and rescue him soon, this didn't matter.

The interrogation went on, but to no avail. After a while he didn't even notice that a small trickle of blood was coming from the corner of his mouth.

That night he lay in the corner of his cell, awake only because of the rancid fumes of the prison. But he was used to it. He was used to being treated like scum all the time, to be treated like an animal who didn't even deserve the least bit of respect. Tiredly, he sighed and pushed away the hunger, which was slowly consuming him. They had skipped cell number eighteen while doling out the slop.

As the night wore on, visions of Fenna drifted in and out of his mind. Soon, his head was swimming with questions.

_When will they come?_

_Will they be able to get past the guards?_

_How will they unlock the door?_

_Will Fenna be alright? Last time I was with her she couldn't walk properly…_

_Where did Afriila go?_

_Why did she disappear?_

_Will we ever see her again?_

_Will I ever see any of them again?_

Somehow, he managed to wonder himself to sleep, curled up in a ball on the floor.

* * *

"For the last time! I did _not_ abandon you! I had to temporarily leave. My arrest would have been far worse than anything that happened if you got caught."

Fenna turned and frowned, hiding behind a curtain of hair.

"Well, we ought to find out where he is." Said Den, wiping the dust off his face.

"Oh yeah, brilliant." Vaz retorted. "Like we can just look into a crystal ball and see where the soldiers took him."

Afriila raised an eyebrow.

"Actually…"

She wouldn't explain why, but she made them dig a shallow scrape in the dirt floor, and then fill it with wine from a dusty old casket on one of the shelves along the wall.

Afriila leaned over, looking into the bottom of the silly little puddle. She held her hand out and closed her eyes briefly. Then, she said something. It sounded like the same language she had been using all along.

_Elvish…_

And then the strangest thing happened. In the pool of wine appeared a picture on it's surface. First it was quite blurry, then suddenly clear and sharp. A scruffy, huddled form was all curled up, fast asleep.

"Kilek!" Fenna exclaimed suddenly.

There he was, except…_where_ exactly was he? It was impossible to know. The background of the picture was pitch black. It was strange, seeing him lie there but not to see his surroundings. Then again…it was fairly strange to see _anything_ in a puddle of wine.

"Can he hear us?" Said Vaz, fingers running through his hair.

"No. He can not see nor hear us. And we cannot hear him."

"Why is the background dark?" Asked Fenna.

"The magic only lets you see what you have already seen."

Den peered at the image, then remember something.

"Say, Fenna's ankle hasn't healed properly. What was wrong with that magical bandage you gave her?"

"Who said it was _magical_?" Afriila said, eyes unrevealing.

Fenna said nothing.

"How long did you wear it, Fenna?" She said coolly.

"T…Two days."

"See? There's the problem. Just because you _feel _better, doesn't mean you _are _better."

The image on the pool of wine dissolved. Afriila set her gaze on Fenna.

"What's your point?" Fenna said, trying to hide her eyes.

"My point is, you should have worn it longer. Like anyone with proper sense would do."

_Hmph._

"Give me your foot."

She wasn't sure what the strange elf was going to do, but she figured it for the better. (She didn't let her know that, though.)

Afriila had cool and smooth hands. She took Fenna's foot in one hand, with the other held over it.

She murmured something long and strange.

Fenna felt an icy cold sensation on the tip of her toe. It slowly engulfed the rest of her foot, and then went partway up her shin. First the sensation was only on the surface of her skin. But suddenly it condensed, and withdrew into her deep tissue. Fenna felt the pain being soothed away. And then, all at once, it stopped.

She stood up. Completely without assistance.

"Th…Thank you." It was hard to say it. Fenna didn't like Afriila one bit, but…her ankle was…healed?

"Let us retrieve Kilek. There is no time to waste."

Four figures snuck along the sides of buildings like alleycats. It was quite dark out.

"You're sure that's it?" Murmered Vaz.

"Positive." Replied Den, his face hidden by shadows. "There's only one prison in the city which doesn't I.D. the inmates. That's it right there."

It was a shabby, dirty, and obviously well traveled prison. Above the heavily armed door was a sign. However, Kilek was the only one who had competent reading skills. Except, of course, for Afriila. But she remained silent. They snuck into the alley alongside the building.

"Let's go inside!" Whispered Fenna. Suddenly they heard footfall on the pavement, and were forced to press into the shadows. It was a soldier, out on nightime duty. Hours seemed to drag by as they waited for him to pass. Finally, he was out of earshot.

"Fenna." Said Vaz. "You go. We'll stay and keep watch."

"Why won't you guys come?" She said, afraid to go alone.

Den stepped in. "It's too dangerous for all of us to come inside at once. It would make too much noise."

"Alright." She said, swallowing hard.

She crept around the corner, glancing both ways. Nothing but empty stalls and garbage tumbling in the late night breeze.

Fenna peered through the bars of the door to see a pitch black corridor, lined with cells. No guards were in sight.

She opened the door as quietly as she could and stepped inside.

Soft breathing could be heard. But it was not the smell that Fenna noticed, it was the most horrible _smell _that consumed the entire place. A strong mix of urine and unwashed bodies. It was not for the faint of heart.

* * *

She tiptoed along, checking each cell closely. Then, suddenly…

Kilek heard a footstep behind him. And it wasn't the heavy clunking of a guard's foot, either.

He sat up, turning to face the aisle.

A slender female silouhuette stopped in front of the bars.

"Kilek? Is that you?" She said, her voice barely audible.

"Fenna! You've come!" He crawled over.

"It's _you_!" She whispered, crouching down to face him.

She reached through the bars and squeezed his hands.

"Fenna…" He breathed, trying to see her face. He could hardly believe she was here.

"You sound terrible. What have they done to you?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about me."

A sliver of moonlight beamed shyly through a window.

"Your face, you have bruises everywhere!"

"I…I…" He looked into her eyes. Something in his mind stopped working.

"I'm just glad you're okay." She said, voice quivering. Her grip tightened.

Kilek let go and hugged her through the bars.

After a few minutes she pulled gently away and cast her eyes on the ground.

Something inside him was soaring. He gathered his courage for a moment.

"Fenna?"

"Yes?" Her reply was barely a breath. She slowly looked up at him. He stared into her eyes. Her olive green eyes that seemed like they went on forever.

"I love you."

* * *

_Am I dreaming?_

Everything seemed to swirl in an unreal haze. The words she heard him speak seemed distant. Distant, yet so very close at the same time. Was it real? Was it true?

Her whole body froze, thoughts unable to be processed.

Was this really her wildest fantasy come true? Fenna tried to speak, but somewhere between her brain and her throat there was a problem.

Harsh words cut like an icy knife into her dreaming trance.

"Fenna! Now!"

She saw Afriila, motioning at her furiously.

She ran out, unsure of what just happened.

* * *

He regretted it. The moment the words left his tongue, he knew he had made a mistake. When he saw her eyes fall to the floor, he knew it was all wrong.

What was worse than regret was the silence. She did not answer. Her eyes seemed glazed, her mind in another realm.

Cold was slowly creeping into his chest.

_She didn't answer._

_She didn't answer, because she doesn't feel the same way._


	15. Unrequited no more

**Chapter 15: Unrequited no more**

Kilek watched, unbreathing, as she slipped outside. She hadn't said a word.

His sides trembled. His head spun. And his heart….seemed to dissolve.

Kilek crawled back to his previous spot. He curled in a ball, oblivious to his surroundings. The only emotion he felt now was the deepest, coldest, and most painful sorrow he had ever experienced in his life. Where his soul once was, now was a sinking and all-consuming abyss of blackness.

His eyes closed. His body was now a hull, inside there was an empty void. He thought nothing. He felt nothing. All he knew was despair.

He did not sleep that night. He could see nothing but the uncaring face he had once looked into so longingly.

He remembered that. When his passion was so great, so strong he could barely control it. It seemed a time long ago and far away….like some distant dream of a dream…

And now it was gone.

_Everything is gone._

Misery…

Misery…

* * *

Afriila yanked her sharply backwards.

"The guard was practically on the doorstep! What were you thinking!"

"Didn't you hear us calling for you?"

"I—"

A cold hand was pressed to her mouth.

Her mind fluttered, still dazed. What was happening?

Vaz was pressed into the shadows. He poked his head out.

"All clear."

"Let's get out of here."

A chill passed through Fenna. She tried to fight back. She wanted to go back and see him. But…something was blocking the messages from her brain to her body. She slipped into a daze, oblivious to her surroundings.

* * *

Years seemed to pass before morning came.

The sunlight was bleak. He barely noticed as one of the guards kept banging on the bars, trying to get him up.

"Today's the day! Come on!"

After many tries he eventually came in and hauled Kilek out by the collar.

He didn't care. Even if he did, his body wasn't responding very well.

He was promptly dragged out, into some cart. Some time later he was dragged again. People all around were talking. His eyes were closed. He didn't have the energy to open them.

Now he remembered. Today was the day for his punishment…what was it again? Whipping? Flogging? Quartering? He couldn't quite recall.

No matter… 

He heard others getting it done. He listened to the regular snap of the snakewhip as it came down each time. The crowd would cheer loudly as criminals were hauled away, barely alive.

Then, without warning, it was his turn.

Someone dragged him up to the platform, tied each of his arms to a post, then removed his filthy tunic.

_Might as well be rid of it._

He listened to the announcer, his mind clearing briefly enough to catch a few sentences.

"And this, this you see before you is one of the four escaped slaves!" 

Loud boos and rude comments rose from the crowd.

* * *

The time came with a great amount of dread. Fenna and the others slowly snuck out from where they had slept in an alley, and made their way to the jail.

"Today's the day we'll get him out." Grinned Den. Though, as they approached the prison…something seemed amiss.

They met up with Afriila, who had gone back to her grandmothers for the night.

"Now, to catch the guards' attentions and send someone in…" Said Vaz with a mischievous smirk. He eyed Afriila.

"I refuse to take part in anything." She said flatly.

"How 'bout you guys?"

Fenna and Den sighed.

"Sure."

Approximately 25 seconds later there arose a great ruccus just down the street from the county jail.

Faces carefully hidden by hoods and scarves, they started to put on a dramatic display. While they were busy putting on a show Den and Afriila would be free to sneak into the prison and get Kilek out.

"Get _away _from me!" A shrill voice wailed.

"Sorry, mam!" Vaz shouted loudly. "I need that _bag_ you're carrying."

"Never!" Fenna yelled back. A space in the crowd was clearing as people watched the scene unfold.

The "bag" was really just a bundle of cloth she clutched to her chest.

Vaz took a step towards her, movements exaggerated.

"Come now, I don't want to do anything _DRASTIC_!" The last word was emphasized especially loudly.

"Like _what?_" Fenna shouted in mock defiance, nose high in the air.

"Like this!" He lunged forward and made a grab for her bag. She jumped sideways and spun to face his back. Giving him a pretend shove, he fell flat on his face.

"Why, you!"

There was a gasp from the onlookers as he got up and ran at her. Fenna, fully prepared, deeked out of the way in time. However, before she could turn to face him, he grabbed her arm and spun her into a tango dip.

"I'll be taking that, m'dear." He said, face close to hers.

"Oohh, no!" She wailed, hand clasped to her forehead. She tried to blink the blonde hair out of her face.

"What's going on here?" Shouted an angry voice. A city guard shoved his way through the crowd.

"It's a theif!" Someone yelled. "Get him!" The guard made an angry grunt and made his advance.

"Think you'll be alright?" Fenna whispered in Vaz's ear.

He gave her a wink and let her down.

"Oh…no!" He said, in fake shock as he stood up.

He easily outran the copper and shoved through the crowd. It wasn't long before Fenna could see him shimmying up the side of a building and onto the roof, likely not to be seen again.

The civillians whispered worriedly among themselves, then looked to where the young woman had been sitting. She was nowhere to be seen, melted into the bustle and commotion like a snake in the reeds.

As they had arranged, the four met back in the usual alleyway. Den and Afriila were pale.

"What's the matter?" Vaz asked, unraveling Fenna's shawl and handing it back to her. "Where's Kilek?"

"According to the list on the inside of the door, Kilek is due for thirty lashes at noon."

"Is he still there?" Fenna asked, feeling a trickle of sweat run down her spine.

"No."

She looked up. The sun was high in the sky, and as far as she could tell, almost at mid-point.

They stood behind a cloth vendor's cart, nearby the wooden cages that held the prisoners to be punished. They could see Kilek tethered to a heavy pole.

The crowd was gathering more and more, and excited murmurs were slowly escalating into a frenzied chatter.

"So, what's the plan?" Said Vaz optimistically.

"I'm afraid there is no plan." Said Afriila, her expression blank and seemingly uncaring.

"What do you mean?" Den spat. "We can't just let him get whipped to death!"

"Well, if you are up to going though them--" she said with a gesture towards five or six large guards armed with clubs, "And can find some way to sneak him out with out alerting those fellows, (another gesture towards several mounted police) then by all means, let us make haste."

"So, what do we do—sit here and watch?"

"No, it would be wiser to stay at a distance. When this is over, we can collect him."

"Why not _now_?" Fenna said, her voice trembling.

"He is under heavy guard now. As much as I want to help him, it would be foolhardy. Later on, he will be likely left alone for some time."

Fenna was so mad, she could barely speak. But she knew right then there was no way out for Kilek.

* * *

"Charges against him include theiving, kidnapping, impersonation, destruction of private property, defiance of bylaws.."He went on to list quite a few more. He heard people shout things like "fool of a bastard!" and "worthless scum!"

Kilek stopped listening. His consciousness soon hazed. He heard someone mutter nearby.

"I dun think 'eel put up much of a fight…"

Then it began. Strangely enough, he barely felt it.

He heard it, though. The first _CRACK _as the end grabbed at him like a hungry flame. A victorious cheer exploded from the crowd.

Again and again it came, with relentless strength. And with each contact, it bit deeper into his flesh, cutting further and harder than the one that came before it.

It must have gone for thirty or fourty times…then it stopped. He could feel blood trickling down his sides and soaking into his pants.

As he was dragged down the steps, he felt himself being pelted with stones and garbage. Again, people cheered and shouted.

The slave boy was taken away. To where, he didn't know.

If the physical pain was excrutiating, then it was nothing….absolutely _nothing _compared to the emotional pain. The knowledge that Fenna had no feelings for him could never be taken away. It tore his heart in two. It made his whole body feel heavy and empty.

For hours he stayed there, left alone by the guards and by the other criminals who had already taken their punishment. He did not move or open his eyes, and his breathing was slow, pained and shallow. He simply had no energy left.

Kilek lay on the cold ground, consciousness ebbing. For a short moment, his body relaxed, satisfied, free of any sensation. It was bliss for a few short moments, as he saw nothing, felt nothing, thought nothing. The already weak grasp on his will to live slipped away.

* * *

(A/N: WARNING: EXTREME FLUFF COMING UP!!!….That is all.)

She fought back tears. Listening to it was horrible. Fenna made a move to get up and run, but was pulled back down.

Someone was justifying it. But she simply couldn't concentrate. It didn't matter.

She buried her head in her hands, and tried not to imagine the suffering he was going through.

After it was all over, the crowd seemed to clear out. Fenna burst from the alleyway.

She ran. She ignored the calls made after her by her companions. There was only one thing that mattered now.

She found him in a makeshift jail cell, among other lifeless forms. She squeezed through the bars and headed towards him.

He lay on his side, head limp. Top removed, she could see nasty gashes covering his back. Most of them were bleeding, badly. She gulped. Blood streaked down his sides.

"K…K…" She tripped over his name…a lump was forming in her throat. She could feel herself becoming choked up. She felt so horrible.

_If only we had known earlier!_

She touched his shoulder ever so gently, afraid it might hurt him. The skin was cool to the touch.

She managed to say it.

"Kilek?"

Her bottom lip was trembling. "_Kilek_?"

He didn't answer. She felt a wave of oncoming grief.

Carefully, she rolled him onto his back. He lay motionless.

His last words replayed in her head.

_I must be the most loathsome person ever to walk the earth…_

Deep sorrow welled up inside. And as hard as she tried, she couldn't keep the tear from running down her cheek.

She placed a hand on his head. He looked so…peaceful. His eyes were mostly closed, save for a thin slit which made him seem like he was sleeping. Despite his terrible wounds, he appeared perfectly at ease.

_She_ wasn't.

He was gone…

It was said a man could take no more than 40 strikes from a whip without dying. But, Kilek was not a grown man. He was only fifteen. What if he was really dead? What if they had done him in? The unbearable thought didn't hesitate to enter her mind.

She couldn't take it. Crumpling forwards, she fell upon him and began to sob.

Crying. Fenna, crying, who had hardly shed a tear in her entire life.   
Eyes full of tears, she managed to look into his face. Memories of years gone by flashed before her eyes. The first time they met… The time she got caught in a net snare… 

_The time he got locked out of the barn…_

_The time she found a two-headed snail…_

_The time Mrs. Darga made them share a stall…_

_The time they got lost in the woods together…_

_The time the twins tied them up against a rock…_

_And…the time they found the pegasus…_

She wiped her eyes, trembling.

She blinked at him. His beautiful face. His olive skin…his smooth eyebrows. His perfect lips…

She leaned over, and gave him one last kiss.

"Oh, Kilek…If only you knew…"

* * *

Waves of warmth ran through his body. Something strange happened. Then he tasted something wonderful pressed against his lips.

His eyes were opened just the slightest bit, so even his eyelashes had not parted. He saw Fenna's face against his. His heart leapt at the sight of her.

He was too weak to move. All he could do was watch.

It hurt him to see her like this.

_I wonder why she is crying? _

Come to think of it, he'd never seen her cry before….ever.

"If only I could have said what I was feeling when it really mattered…" She said, half-sobbing.

What? What was this?

"Say _what_?" He croaked, hardly believing her words.

Her attention was upon him instantly.

"Kilek! You….spoke!"

"Mmmgmm…" It had taken all the energy out of him.

"You're alive!" She said, throwing her arms around him.

It re-ignited the fiery pain. Suddenly all his senses came back to him as if he had slammed into a brick wall.

He grunted in both pain and shock.

Fenna hardly seemed to notice. She was still crying, though no longer grievously. He waited for her to let go. He could feel tears dripping into his hair.

"Can…you help me up?" He said softly.

Without even a moments hesitation, she did so.

He looked as his right side, only to become faint.

_I'm covered in blood!_

It was a sickening sight. He became very dizzy.

"I was sure you were dead." Fenna said, her voice almost a whisper. His hand was on her shoulder for support.

"I thought I was too." He said with a swallow. "And to tell you the truth, I'm still not sure."

"Kilek. I need to finish what you started."

He didn't understand. But then he remembered. A fleeting feeling of dissapointment crossed his mind.

"I…I really wasn't able to think last night. You see, I was so shocked and confused with myself."

It took him a few moments to fully remember.

"No. You don't have to try and make me feel better. I know you don't feel the same way…"

"No. You see, I've been trying to hide it. I can't anymore. I just can't. I care about you _more than anyone else_ in the _world_."

He was speechless.

"Kilek, I _love_ you." She said, a shy smile on her lips. She looked into his eyes.

Now, he was thunderstruck.

_She….she…_

A magical sensation suddenly enveloped his body. It was as if he could soar on eagle's wings. His soul was suddenly set free. In all of his wildest imagination, he never dreamed that Fenna would ever love him in return. He had always thought himself

Something had to be amiss. But there wasn't. It seemed to perfect to be true.

Yet…it _was._

**Ooooh….Sooo tired…Out of all the chapters that was the one that definitely took the most editing. Trust me, there was a lot to be done and it turned out WAY better in the end. **

**I worked pretty hard. So REVIEW! I deserve it! And you know it! Lol…No seriously. Review. I don't like working my ass off writing 10 pages and then to get 2 reviews in. Thank you to those who did review the last couple of times If you didn't like it, fine! Say so! If you did, and are too lazy to review, then shame on you! And if you're too lazy to review anyways, well then…lol…review. Just at least this once. **

**Well, I hope all of you are gonna have an awesome holdiay! Count this as my christmas/New years present to you. Sorry it took so long. You know, the before holiday slump and homework explosion, complete with projects, essays, and assignments galore. **

**Don't fret! This is not, I repeat, NOT the last chapter! There are still a few more to come! (As well as a bonus chapter!) The bonus will be short stories comprised of the memories Fenna had while she was bawling her eyes out. (Awww.) **


	16. Epilogue

Sorry guy, if this chapter seems rushed. I have an idea for a new story, and I'm starting to lose interest in this one. But I really wanted to finish this one, and not leave it hanging like I did last time. (Heh...) Besides, this is basically the way I wanted it to turn out. 

Epilogue 

2 weeks later

Many things had happened since the reunion of the group. First, Afriila had urged them all to come see her grandmother. Her grandmother revealed she was actually a spy for the elf queen. This surprised them, for the woman seemed as ordinary as the next person. But, as she said, no one would expect an old woman to be a spy. Afriila and her grandmother, Efrona, revealed to them and invitation to come with them the the Varden, the almost legendary resistance organization. There was much discussion, and the slaves were in unanimous agreement to come. There they could live out their lives in peace, and of course, make sure the pegasus was kept in safe hands. And as for the pegasus, Fehràr had made an unexpected return after over a week of no contact. Thay were leaving the city when he contacted Fenna.

He explained his left shoulder had been terribly wounded by the soldier, and could not fly. The night of Kilek's capture he had fled, both out of pain and out of fear. His wound had bled extensively, as a result he had to retreat into hiding. He guided Fenna and the others to a thicket near an apple orchard quite far from the road. Like he had said, he could hardly walk, let alone fly. The sword wound was deep, but Afriila was able to heal most of it with her magic. Fehrar seemed not to trust her at first, but Fenna assured him he would be fine. They brought him with them, and to conceal his wings wrapped burlap around the to make them look like packs. Still, he hardly looked like any ordinary horse, with his shimmering white fur and hair that looked like spun silver. Not to mention his much lighter, more delicate frame.

That aside, the trip to the southern mountains went well. Efrona stayed behind after she saw them out to the countryside, and gave them provisions and a detailed map to follow. However, it seemed Afriila was in no need of a map. Not once during the journey did she consult it. With the elf as a guide, and good horses to ride, they were able to cut through the desert and snake around any empire encampments. All in all, it was a tiring, but efficient trip.

As for the Varden, king Hrothgar welcomed them warmly. They did not become offical members, but were invited to stay and live with any of the villages within the Varden territory. He assured that they, and Fehrar (he seemed to take a great liking to the pegasus) would live happily and safely. The foure noticed, in farthe Dur, many small, stocky peoples roaming about. "Dwarves," Den had told them quietly. And indeed it seemed so, but never did the dwarves seems to take any interest in the group of shabby humans roaming about.

After about 2 weeks of settling into the quiet village of Galfrai, Afriila left them. She made sure they were all satisfied with their homes. They were situated towards the outside of the town, where they could commune and visit in relative privacy. Afriila also made sure they were frequently checked on and delivered groceries, her own personal commitment. However, she encouraged all of them to find their own jobs in due time.

The houses were nice. Small, but nice. The villagers welcomed them with open arms. Many of them were dwarf women and children. Many of them worked off an on in Farthen Dur. They were all supporters of the varden, and were fascinated by the pegasus and it's story. However, Fehrar preffered to stay away from the town, living in the deep forest most of the time. Often he would take long flights through the mountains, and often Fenna would come with him. It wasn't long before they were all settled, living peacefully, without any worry whatsoever. But the relaxed atmosphere seemed somehow strange to Fenna, after working or fleeing for her whole life…

It was four weeks later that the four friends all sat on a hill, watching the sun set over a creek. Fenna had her head comfortably on Kilek's shoulder.

"So." Kilek said. "Now what?"

There was a long pause as each of them took their time to think. Golden light was illuminating the treetops, and flickering off the water. A cool breeze stirred their hair.

Denflar spoke first.

"I've been thinking of becoming a blacksmith's apprentice. I've always wondered how they turn a plain old bar of iron into something."

Vaz spoke next.

"I've considered having a nice vineya--" His eyes averted to something.

Down by the stream, a pretty girl with cream colored hair was filling jars with water. "Nevermind that. I know what I'm going to do _now_."

Den shook his head knowingly.

"Fenna?"

"Afriila will be visiting soon. She might have some plans for Fehrar. Until then I'm going to take care of him. After that, I want to systematically destroy the slave trade in Dras Leona."

Kilek smiled. "And I'll help you."

The sun sank lower, and as the light was dimming they could hear the faint sound of Vaz trying to convince the girl to come with him for dinner.

Fenna sighed. It would be a long and hard road, but they would accomplish it. They had to accomplish it. She didn't want anyone else to ever be exploited by the slave marketers the way they were. Who knows, maybe once all the slaves were free they could join the varden, or help them somehow…

It would all be figured out later. Right now, though this was the only place she wanted to be.

Next to the one she loved.

There was a sounding of wings as Fehrar settled down near them, relaxed and calm.

"And now," Said Den, seeming distant, "we begin anew."


End file.
